Independence
by AsamiAllGrownUp
Summary: Link doesn't know how to tell the princess she needs to slow down, but Zelda isn't ready to be Queen. Post BotW. [Zelink]
1. Chapter 1

He stood behind her, just as he always did. He watched her speak with such passion and vigour to the Zoran prince, showing him pictures upon the Shiekah slate he had happily gifted to her upon the defeat of Ganon. It had always been hers, after all.

Link, how long do you think it would take us to get to that quaint little place on the way to Akkala. Tarrey Town, wasn't it?'' Zelda asked as she turned to him and Link stood perfectly in place.

''With you or alone, Princess?'' he clarified and Zelda almost rolled her eyes at him.

''With me. I don't slow you down that much, do I?'' she asked and Link tried to word himself in a way that wouldn't offend her.

He almost stammered but composed himself as he spoke. ''Together, four days.''

Zelda could see him restraining himself as Sidon tried not to laugh. ''And how fast on your own then?''

''I'd scale the waterfalls and ride through the night for you, Princess,'' he replied and Sidon gave him a grin.

''Good answer,'' he said and Zelda gave him a look that proved she was not amused. ''With Mipha's armour, he doesn't have to walk around the winding paths and fight as many of the remaining monsters. And he has that paraglider. He could be there by tomorrow morning.''

His explanation helped as Zelda walked back into the room she'd been provided, rustling through her bag. She pulled out some sort of pendant, holding it in her delicate fingers. ''There's someone there I've been told can help me with identifying this. Anson, I think his name was.''

Sidon walked over to her slowly, gently taking it from her hands. ''I can see the waves in it. Surely someone here would know.''

''It shows you something of great significance to you. Something you could not live without. I imagine you see waves as you need water, Prince Sidon,'' she said as she gently took it back. ''I've heard of others seeing riches and food, some seeing open plains or nice homes. It tells you what you need to feel complete.''

Sidon was only more interested. ''And what do you see, Princess?''

Zelda let out a frustrated sigh. ''Nothing. It is still unclear to me like fog or smoke,'' she said as she put it back in her bag gently. ''Please excuse me, it is time I go pray to the goddess.''

She let herself out to go to the statue, where Link knew she would be safe enough to venture alone. Sidon leaned on her bed post, folding his arms. ''What do you see, Link?'' he asked and Link had his usual expression. It was so hard to read for those who did not know him but Sidon had somehow clued onto the other giveaways in his behaviours and words that he knew how the not-so-young knight was feeling.

''I have not looked,'' he said and Sidon looked at Zelda's bag. ''I would not go through her things if I were you.''

Sidon laughed as he walked over and put an arm around Link's shoulders. ''Always so serious. Ganon is gone and the princess is more than safe here. Relax a little. We could go for a swim if you'd like.''

''No, thank you,'' Link said as he looked in the direction of the door.

Sidon released the blond man and began to walk out the door. ''Well, I know you and I've heard from the guards you spend most of the night taking watch over her. I know you won't listen to me when I say the guards will wake you if anything happens so why don't you get some sleep now to make up for it?''

It wasn't a bad idea. Link made his way to the couch, lying on it as Sidon laughed. ''You can have a bed. I'm sure there is a spare room.''

''I'm fine here. Thank you, Sidon.''

The Zora shook his head and chuckled to himself as he walked away. He sometimes worried about how much danger Link had put himself into just for his princess. When was the last time he had laid in a bed and slept the night, not just dozing while listening out for any signs of trouble. He'd heard a story that the knight had almost killed a child one night that had snuck into Zelda's room, pulling one of his arrows from the sling beside his bed and throwing it with pinpoint accuracy at the first sound he heard, luckily moving it just enough to miss as he realised it wasn't a threat. The child profusely apologised and ran away crying, Zelda awaking to the commotion only to scold him for scaring the poor thing. She'd made him give the child a gift the next morning to apologise himself for nearly killing them.

He woke as he heard footsteps, the sound clearly Zelda's shoes against the floor. Even if someone else wore the same, he knew the pattern of her steps and the weight of her body as it shifted, able to pick them from a recording if he was ever faced with one. He slowly sat up as Zelda walked in, the princess folding her arms as she looked at him. ''Link, I must insist you get another room. Sidon has told me he'd find extra guards to do the night watch around the inn if that would mean you'd sleep.''

''I'm fine, Princess.''

Zelda could see how tired he was, walking out of the room with her arms still crossed. ''Can you please pass onto the prince that we'll be taking up his offer? And a room for my appointed knight, please.''

She walked back in with a key, dropping it into Link's hand. He slowly got up, stiff from the uncomfortable position as he gathered his things. ''Princess-''

''I don't want to see you until tomorrow morning, Link.''

Link knew when he'd upset her, taking himself into the adjoining room as he dropped most of his things on the floor, standing his sword beside the bed with a bow and his quiver. He laid on the bed, surprised by how quickly he fell asleep, not even waking for dinner.

But the early slumber meant he'd awoken in the middle of the night, unable to fall asleep again. He quietly checked Zelda's room, noticing she wasn't in her bed as he opened the adjoining door. He stepped inside and could see the balcony door open, walking up behind her as she leaned over the rails.

He was silent, watching her in her white nightdress looking over such a unique part of her kingdom. It was all unique but the waterfalls had a certain glow in the moonlight that radiated from her skin, only making her look more beautiful. She was staring at the pendant, holding it with a gentle grip so she would not damage nor drop it.

She let out a sigh as she turned, almost jumping as she noticed Link was there. ''Why aren't you in bed?''

''I could ask you the same, Princess,'' he replied and Zelda looked at it the pendant again. He had a point.

''Link, what do you see?'' she asked as she gently handed it to him, her soft hands brushing over his, a complete contrast to his which were scarred and covered in rough callouses.

He knew what he was going to see before he did. The bright blonde hair and green eyes entrancing him as he handed it back. ''Nothing.''

Zelda frowned. ''Nothing?''

''Yes, Princess.''

She looked at the stone again. ''Nothing as in-''

''It's a blue stone, Princess,'' he said and Zelda looked at him.

''You're lying to me,'' she said as Link tried to hold his expression. But she could read him, she always could. ''You don't need to be embarrassed or ashamed, Link. You want and need things too.''

He let out a sigh. ''You, Princess,'' he said and Zelda hesitated. She could tell he was telling the truth this time. ''As long as I know you are safe, that is all I need.''

She gripped the stone tighter as she looked at him. Guilt ran through her as she could see him still standing straight, dutifully ready for her next order. ''Link, you should go back to your home in Hateno Village for a while.''

Link's expression immediately shifted. ''What have I done wrong, Princess?''

''Nothing. It is what I've done wrong,'' she said and Link was confused. ''You are always loyal to me and tend to my every request. You help me in any way you can, even when I ask you not to. You have dedicated your life to me when you should be having your own. So please, go home for a while and clear your head. Your life should be about more than me.''

Link wasn't sure how to respond. ''Princess-''

''Go. You could make it there by tomorrow night, couldn't you? I will send a message to Purah to make sure you get there and spend some time caring for yourself. I will be fine here. If I decide to move on, I will ask for an escort. Don't worry about me,'' she said and Link still felt hesitant. This was the princess, _his_ princess that he'd follow to the edges of the world and back, who was asking him to leave her alone.

''If that is what you wish, your highness.''

He packed up his things, checking with her again as she sat on her bed, still staring at the stone. She looked up at him, a look of sadness on her face. He longed to take it away so she would smile again. ''Safe travels. I will meet you in Kakariko village in ten days.''

He held back the desire to argue but at least she'd given him a timeframe. He knew what it was like when he was first appointed to her; she would yell at him every time he followed her just because she was desperate to show she could do things on her own. He knew she could, he just didn't want to take the chance when her head looked even more desirable with the King gone.

Instead, he got down on one knee, making sure she knew he was taking this as an order from royalty, not a request from someone he sometimes almost called a friend. But soon she would be queen and things would change. Orders were going to become the norm. ''Yes, Princess.''


	2. Chapter 2

He set off as quietly as he could, sneaking by all of the guards to test them. It only concerned him more; if he could do so with no problems while he was carrying all of his things, they weren't go'ing to notice any of the stronger monsters sneaking in with only the tool they required to do the princess the most harm.

He tried to cast away the thoughts as he hastily made his way home, dropping his things on his table as he opened the fridge to see what was there. Milk that was long expired and a few black things that may have once been apples; he needed to learn to empty his fridge before he left on his trips with the princess instead of after.

He pulled off his shirt and put on an old pair of pants, diving into the lake to catch some fish like he'd done countless times before on his travels. He carried them up to his house, cooking them in the fire pot with some apples and other vegetation that had grown around his house in his absence. His home must have looked like the prime location for thieves with no one ever present, though they'd be sorely disappointed when they discovered anything of worth was taken with him on his travels.

''Linky! Princess Zelda told me you'd be here,'' Purah said as she walked with Symin across the bridge. Symin was carrying some plastic bags as Purah skipped along like a child beside him. ''We bought you some food. It's been a while since you were home.''

''Thank you,'' Link said as he took the bags, inviting them inside. He filled a pot with water, not even remembering that he didn't even own a kettle yet as he let the two sit.

''Linky, we have to decorate this house. It looks like it's been abandoned,'' Purah said as she stood on her chair, examining the walls and furniture closely with her glasses.

Link poured the water into some cups he was surprised he owned, recalling Zelda throwing out a number that were badly damaged when she was last there. ''I'm sorry this is all I have.''

Symin smiled as he took the cup, Purah examining it closely. ''Where is the princess now?''

''In the Zora's Domain with Prince Sidon,'' Link said as he sat down himself, offering some of his food to the others who quickly declined. It wasn't bad, it just was definitely the food of a traveller whom wasn't used to cooking in his home. He had to pull out the bones and instinctively began to pick it up with his hands, pulling off every spare morsel of food as if he'd starve if he didn't. There was a store barely fifty paces down the road with filleted food that would be less work.

''Is she still trying to go to Tarrey Town, or is she postponing that trip?'' Symin asked and Link felt nervous. He hated not being there, knowing where the princess was and whom she was with. What if she was hurt?

''I don't know. She seemed undecided,'' Link replied and Purah looked up at him with a frown on her face.

''But she sent you home.'' Link nodded as Purah's expression didn't change. ''Did you do something wrong?''

Link seemed uncertain. ''She thinks she has. She thinks I have abandoned my life to protect her.''

''That would require you to have had your own life in the first place,'' Purah teased, though Link didn't get it was a joke while he took another bite of his food.

''Pretty much.'' It was no secret that Link hadn't had any direction in his life before the princess. He had no family and no one he'd particularly call a friend. Every day was just an exercise of hunting for food and training to become a better hunter. Entering the royal guard and becoming her appointed knight had given him something beyond his daily endeavour to simply keep existing.

Symin drank from his cup, thinking for a few moments. In a way, the pair had become two he could confide in on the rare occasion he was home; they were mature enough to understand his story but not so serious he felt obliged to remain formal with them. It was hard to be when a woman who could have easily been pushing two hundred was standing on his furniture and acting like a child.

Symin put it back down as he spoke. ''The princess has always been under immense pressure since her mother died, and now her father has too. Perhaps she thinks the stress she is feeling is what you are, not the other way around. She has always pushed herself too hard,'' he suggested and Link tried not to think about the numerous times he'd had to help her to her feet when she'd succumbed to the pressures of her role. He still remembered holding her as she cried, distraught at the idea she may have never awoken her powers. She had, as Link had always trusted she would, but it didn't make the memory feel any better.

''That's probably it. She's always thinking of others. She'll be fine, Linky. Give her a few days and she'll have changed her mind and ask for you back again. Prince Sidon won't let her leave without some of the guards to keep her safe for you.''

Link tried to let her words comfort him as they left and he prepared himself for the night. He stared at the ceiling for hours until he gave up, making his way out to the fields behind his house as he decided to get some training in to kill time. He had a deadly aim but without practice, it wasn't going to stay that way forever.

He eventually went to bed again, utterly exhausted as his eyes could no longer bare to be open. He woke up to his front door opening, shooting out of bed as he could tell they were alarmed themselves. ''The princess is missing.''

Link threw on his clothes and the minimal armour he could get away with, his sword, bow and shield upon his back as he followed the Zoran outside. ''What happened?''

''She just took off. Prince Sidon and some of the others went to find her but we don't know. She said she was just going for a walk and she never came back.''

''Kidnapped? Hurt? Dead?'' Link asked, his heart tightening at the thought of the last option. He'd never forgive himself for any of them but her death would have him hanging his head, waiting for someone to cast punishment for what should have been a high crime.

''Her things are gone so we think she left of her own accord. After that, we don't know.''

Link got on the back of his horse, letting the Zoran on the back as he made his way north. The Zoran went ahead at the first river, ready to pass on a message that Link was on his way. The trusted knight took to the water himself as he hit the edges of the Domain, knowing it was faster than taking any land route.

He eventually caught up with Sidon, whom looked ashamed of himself and his guard. ''I'm sorry. She hadn't even told us you'd left. We only realised when one of the inn keepers told us the princess had returned your key that morning. I thought she was meeting you.''

Link's serious expression didn't change. ''She'll be heading for Tarrey Town.''

''I went further than she should have been able to reach and made my way back. I didn't find her,'' Sidon said and Link only hit another speed, one that was reserved for when he knew his princess needed him.

He did find her. He found tracks that had to be hers; they were the right depth and shape to match her shoes and gait. She was sitting in a cave, praying as Link first noticed the bandage around her ankle.

''Why did you go alone?''

Zelda looked surprised to see him, though not for long. ''Did Prince Sidon send for you?''

''Princess, you're hurt.''

''Just a small sprain. It's fine, Link. I'm okay.''

Link saw another bandage on her wrist, reaching up under her sleeve. He was so frustrated with her he grabbed her hand, pushing the sleeve back to reveal the blood covered bandage that she'd tried to hide. Zelda could see his expression, almost scared. She'd always pushed the limits but this was much further than she'd gone before. She expected him to be upset but he was furious.

''I swear on the goddess herself if it wasn't against my oath I'd kill you because it'd be easier than trying to protect you sometimes,'' he swore to the ceiling and Zelda felt fear run through her as he let her arm drop. He tipped the arrows from his quiver, pulling out some bandages that had been stuffed in the bottom.

He slowly unwrapped the others and replaced them, making sure it was tight and secure. ''We're going back to the Domain.''

''We're a third of the way to Tarrey town-''

''We are going back to the Domain,'' Link repeated as he looked into her eyes. He got her up and lifted her in his arms, Zelda silent as he made his way over the rugged terrain. Some Zora caught up, taking their things as Link moved Zelda onto his back so he could climb and swim, Sidon carrying her once he caught them entering the rivers closer to the township.

Zelda sat in her room, wearing fresh clothes that had been provided to her as Link sat on the ledge of the balcony, keeping watch of everything. ''Link, I'm sorry I upset you-''

''You terrified me. I thought you might have died. You still might if that wound gets infected,'' he said and Zelda went quiet again.

She took a few more moments to speak. ''I am no more important than anybody else. Ganon is sealed away now. It doesn't matter. I shouldn't be treated like I am.''

''You are going to be queen.''

''I refuse to be a queen that doesn't respect and understand the trials of her subjects. I should be able to walk from one town to another and overcome the same dangers. If I don't, how will I ever understand?''

Link didn't even answer. He knew the kind of ruler that she wanted to be. It didn't stop his frustration when she did something stupid and dangerous but he did know she was likely to do it and hadn't warned anyone.

''Link, I'm fine. Please forgive me and go back home.''

Link got up and walked in, looking in her eyes. ''Not until you're there with me or safe in your castle. Even then, I hesitate to leave you alone.''

''Why? Why do you care so much about me, Link? You barely speak to me, just ears to listen while I try make sense of what is happening. Anything I could possibly want and you're there.''

''I am your knight.''

''I was hoping after over a hundred years by my side you might have realised that I never question your duties, I question why you go so far beyond them to please me,'' she said and Link suddenly couldn't speak. He knew exactly why but he couldn't tell her that.

''I took an oath with the other champions. They are all gone now so it's just me. Forgive me if I seem overbearing but this is what I do, Princess. I am always going to be there for you, even if you don't want me to be,'' he said as he got up, closing the balcony doors behind himself. ''If you don't mind, I'm going to get some sleep. You should as well.''

''The key for the other room-''

Link slumped onto the couch. ''Not to be rude but I don't trust you enough to leave you alone, Princess. Your greatest danger is yourself.''

Zelda knew he was right. ''Then at least come lie on the bed.'' Link sat up quickly and stared at her. Was she inviting him to bed with her? A blush ran across her cheeks. ''On top of the covers. At least then you won't ruin your neck.''

''I'll just sleep on the floor, Princess.''

''No, you won't. You need a good night's sleep so we can move forward to Tarrey Town tomorrow.''

Link knew she was right about needing sleep. If they were leaving while she was still injured, he'd be making her stay while he fetched his horse, then would be riding through the winding hills slowly as not to aggravate her injuries further.

He got up and lay down right on the edge of the bed, making sure she had plenty of room. He'd given her a small victory, the princess looking pleased as she began looking through her Shiekah slate again, checking the maps.

''This looks to be the fastest route,'' she said as she pointed along a trail.

''There is a nest of monsters too close. They frequent those paths,'' Link said as he looked. ''We will go around.''

''That will take days to go around.''

''You should have thought of that before you ventured on your own and got injured, Princess.''

Zelda wasn't sure how to react to his statement as he lay with his eyes closed, hands on his chest as he tried to relax enough to sleep. ''You're being very rude.''

''You want me to speak more and I'm still upset with you. They are the only words I have to say to you right now,'' he replied, eyes closed as he exhaled.

''You're not still upset with Prince Sidon and his guard, are you?'' she asked and Link remained stoic.

''They let you out of their sight. I got out of here the other night and no one knew I was gone.''

''There's peace now. They're not as vigilant as you are.''

''And it could have gotten you killed. They are lucky you weren't more hurt than you are,'' Link said and Zelda sighed. There was a moment of silence as she watched him, feeling all of her guilt sink in. It was her fault he was like this. She had tried to give him what he needed but it had just made him worse. Now he was never going to go home and take time for himself.

She felt tears run down her cheeks as she wiped them away, lying on her side away from him. The tears quickly became sobs as the fear and loneliness she'd felt while sitting in the cavern hit her again, along with the pain in her arm and ankle from her fall. She shouldn't have been so cocky, motivated by Link and Sidon's words about how slow she was compared to them.

Link took her shoulder and rolled her into his embrace, comforting her as she cried. He felt a different guilt, the kind that came whenever he wasn't able to put a smile on her face and fix every problem she had. At the end of the day, she still had emotional needs and they were never something he had been good with.

She cried into his chest as he tried to keep his breathing even, fighting the urge to grab her and hold her as tightly as he could. She was the princess and he was her knight; doing so would be highly inappropriate and reason to have him removed from her guard immediately. It was a job: nothing more, nothing less.

''Oh, Link,'' she said as she let out wallowing sobs, desperate for air. This was almost as bad as when she collapsed on him a hundred years ago. Almost. ''I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.''

He couldn't even think of the right words to comfort her. It wasn't okay; she had purposefully gone out and put herself in danger despite his warnings. He wasn't ready to forgive her either. He would, he always did, but not yet.

''Everything will be fine, Princess.''


	3. Chapter 3

Zelda's sobs slowed as she fell asleep, Link gently stroking her tear-soaked hair away from her face. He dozed as he usually would, listening carefully just in case. He knew they were safe but habits were habits; he knew he wouldn't feel safe enough to sleep soundly when the princess was around for a long time.

He woke with the sun, gently sliding out from under her as he got up. Sidon was already awake, stretching as he looked over the domain that would one day be his. ''Good morning. Want to come for a morning swim? It's invigorating. Get's the blood flowing.''

''No thank you, Sidon,'' Link replied and Sidon could read his face, dropping his arms as the knight sat down, grabbing a cloth from his pocket to start polishing his sword.

''How is the princess?'' he asked and Link didn't look up.

''Asleep. She had a restless night,'' he said so factually, his voice still tired.

Sidon stepped closer. ''I apologise for the complacency shown by myself and my guard. Nobody told me you had left until the princess was already gone. I should have asked her where you were sooner.''

Link glanced up at him, a look of annoyance still in his eyes. ''I will not be leaving her again, even if she orders it. You don't need to worry.''

''You should be able to leave her. What if you got hurt?'' Sidon asked. ''She faced Ganon alone for a hundred years, waiting for you. She is capable of protecting herself if she needed to. I do think she should be accompanied but she isn't a damsel in distress.''

Link went back to his sword. ''I don't think she is. But she gets frustrated at herself and pushes too far. She needs someone to stop her when she is going to hurt herself, just like she did yesterday.''

''I seem to recall her doing the same for you,'' Sidon said with a slight smile on his face. ''One day, you are going to die trying to protect her.''

''I can't think of a way I'd rather die,'' Link replied in a serious tone, the kind that made Sidon concerned.

He sat down beside the knight, a serious expression on his usually cheery face. ''May the goddess forgive me for even suggesting it, but if something did happen to the princess, what would you do?''

Link didn't answer. He wasn't going to, not until it was uncomfortably silent and Sidon clearly wasn't moving until he had one. ''I don't know.''

Sidon got up. ''Well, let's pray nothing happens then extra hard, shall we?'' he said before he began stretching again. ''I've already asked someone to come by and check her wounds once she wakes up.''

Link heard Zelda moving much later into the morning, getting up to stand in her doorway. He could see her wince in pain as she tried to put pressure on her ankle. He walked in and put her arm over his shoulders, lifting her up so she wouldn't have to stand on it.

''Link, don't worry. I'm fine.''

Link removed her arm as he watched her balance on one foot. She couldn't even take a step. She looked humiliated as Link took her arm again and lifted her. ''Where to?''

''The bathroom. I should be able to hobble around in there,'' she insisted. He helped her in as she turned to sit, holding herself against the walls. He stepped out of the room, only stepping back in as he heard her crying again.

She was curled over the sink, standing on one foot as she held her arm. The bruising must have settled in as she didn't seem able to move. ''Turn to me,'' Link said as he helped her pivot on her foot, picking her up again.

''I need to get dressed,'' she said as she pointed to the neat pile of clothing that was beside her bed. Link picked it up and put it next to her, making his way for the door. ''I'm going to need help.''

Link looked a bit overwhelmed by the idea. She made him cover his eyes as she put on the fresh shirt and wiggled on her pants most of the way. ''Eyes closed,'' she said as she took his hands to help support her as she stood, pulling them up the rest of the way. ''You can open them now. Thank you.''

''Sidon asked someone to heal you,'' Link said as Zelda scooted along the bed, reaching for her bag.

''Yes, that would be good. We need to get moving.''

''And I sent for Anson to be brought here,'' he concluded and Zelda sat up straight, looking at him. ''You are too hurt. It will take weeks at your current pace.''

Zelda had to praise his forethought, though she really wished they would be going. She never liked to stay in one place for long. There was too much do to and learn. ''That isn't necessary.''

''We're not leaving unless it is to go home until your leg and arm have fully healed,'' Link said with the same strict voice he'd used with her the night before. She was obviously still not forgiven.

''Link, could you please close the door?'' she asked and her knight did just that. He stood and waited patiently for her next command. ''You've taken my recklessness so personally.''

''When you get hurt and I'm not there to prevent it, it is personal, Princess,'' he said clearly as a response. ''You get hurt and everybody looks at me. They hear you continued on to Tarrey Town and I wasn't there to stop you from hurting yourself, I am the one they come after. You will be forgiven for your mistakes. Word gets back to the castle that I let you go without me, I will not be.''

''You're not my babysitter, you're a knight. I told you to go home-''

''And they don't care, Princess. Keeping you safe is my only responsibility. I fail when it could have been prevented and I will be imprisoned, if not killed,'' Link said, conveying the degree to which her actions affected him. She knew all of this but for some reason it had just never crossed her mind at the time.

He picked up Zelda's bag from the floor, handing it to her. She rustled through it, pulling out the pendant to stare at it again. ''I am sorry. I know you don't believe me and I've hurt you but please forgive me.''

Link couldn't answer her. Not yet. ''Where would you like to go?''

The princess grabbed onto the bed and hopped over to the couch, Link carrying her bag to put beside her. ''I will be in here. I can't get very far; go do what you want. I don't need an escort to sit on a chair in my room,'' she said as she pulled out some of her notebooks and revised her notes.

He gave her space, heading into an open area where he could have quiet to practice. It helped remove some of his frustrations as he took it out on the blade, switching to some softer weapons to use on the training dummies Sidon had put aside for him. A couple still broke but at least it wasn't the same level of destruction as when he'd used genuine weapons against them prior.

He returned back to Zelda's room as the moon began to rise, standing in her doorway as he watched her hobble with the crutches someone had sourced for her. The healing must have helped because she could at least put a little pressure on her foot now. There were still bandages on her arm but they weren't blood soaked anymore, so there must have been some improvement.

''I think I may have found something. At least something to ask Anson once he arrives,'' she said as she turned, looking at the pendant again under the moonlight. ''Perhaps it is not needs, but rather something much more complex. Your purpose is to protect me as my appointed knight. Mine was to defeat Ganon, whom we have already sealed away. So my purpose is now unclear, which is why it looks so unrecognisable to me.''

The theory didn't sound too far fetched. She'd always been good at looking at evidence and deducting possible outcomes. She hobbled toward him as she placed it back in his hand. ''I want you to take this and ask everybody in the Domain to look into it. Write down what they see. Ask them the significance. It is a small sample but will give me better direction before our guest arrives.''

Link did as he was told, visiting every Zora and writing down the answers. Most did adhere to the princess' theory, though some weren't quite as obvious. ''Very interesting,'' Zelda said as she looked through the notes, comparing the data in a multitude of ways that Link didn't understand. He was never the scholarly type; he was lucky he'd learned how to read. He couldn't remember how many times Zelda had sat him down in the evenings, forcing him to practice writing so she could read what he'd written when he gathered notes for her. Those things didn't matter when he applied for the royal guard.

Link closed the door as he sat on the couch, beginning to rest his eyes. He was weary from the training and Zelda was just going to use him as a backboard for her thoughts again as she paced back and forth with her crutches, unable to sit still any longer. ''I wonder if it varies by species.''

''Princess?''

Zelda stopped and looked at him. ''Yes?''

Link felt too rude to tell her what he wanted to; he was tired and it was late. They should have both been asleep. But the expression on her face was enough he regretted interrupting her. ''Never mind.''

''No please, any guidance would be appreciated.''

Link let out a long sigh. ''I was going to suggest you leave it until morning. You still need to rest so you can heal.''

Zelda rolled her eyes. ''Would you stop worrying about me? I will be fine. She wasn't as skilled as Mipha but the lovely girl who helped me today took away a lot of the pain. A few more days and I'll be ready to go. I might need to send you to source a present for her to thank her for her time and efforts. She will be very skilled one day.''

Link closed his eyes again, letting out a long and slow breath. ''If that is what you wish, Princess.''

Zelda hobbled to the end of the couch so he would open his eyes and look into her own. ``What can I do to make you forgive me?'' she asked. Link didn't answer. ''Please. I feel like we're children and you're holding a grudge because I played with your toy.''

''I didn't have any toys,'' Link replied with his eyes still closed and Zelda hesitated. She knew he'd been poor growing up but not _that_ poor. He had his father's weapons and anything he could find outside in the garden. He spent hours chasing bugs and small wildlife, trying to care for them like pets to pass the time.

''Well, you understand the sentiment,'' Zelda said as she folded her arms, balancing against the arm of the couch with her thighs. ''I made a mistake. I will not make the same one again. I didn't do it to purposefully hurt you.''

Link opened his eyes, blue meeting green as he looked at her. ''I will. I'm just not ready so stop acting like it's been weeks. It's been just over twenty four hours. I can still be angry with you,'' he said and Zelda huffed, clearly still displeased. Sometimes she really acted like a spoilt princess.

''I have apologised over and over again, Link,'' she said as she moved around to sit on the arm. She was going to get upset again, her voice catching in her throat. Link had gotten to know everyone again after his hundred year slumber but she was still learning the ways in which they'd changed. He was the only one she thought she really knew and his anger only made her feel worse. ''What will help you?''

Link closed his eyes, deciding to ignore her. She wasn't going to listen to him either way. ''After Anson arrives, we should go back to the castle. They'll be making preparations for your coronation,'' he said instead, trying to distract her from the topic at hand.

It didn't make her feel any better. After the coronation, Zelda knew she wouldn't be able to leave the castle nearly as frequently. She'd be lucky to ever travel like she'd grown accustomed to again. ''Link, can I tell you something?''

Link opened one eye, his hands behind his head like a pillow. Zelda held her elbows, looking ashamed as she couldn't even look at him. He'd seen the look on her face before when she thought she was never going to unlock her powers. ''What is it, Princess?''

She looked like she was struggling to even say it. ''I don't think I'm fit to be queen. I don't know how to rule, how to deal with all of the politics. I'll just mess it all up. They're better without one. They've lasted this long since my father died, they can live without me.''

Link sat up, looking at the woman in front of himself. They were technically still teenagers and yet they weren't. She'd spent a hundred years with Ganon while he'd slept and lost his memories, living in something like stasis for all of that time. ''Princess…''

She began to cry, wiping the tears away before they got worse. ''I don't want to be queen.''

Link didn't know what to say. He got up on his knees and wiped away her tears. ''You will be a fantastic queen.''

Zelda couldn't help but laugh. ''I'm afraid you're wrong,'' she said as she looked at him. Why did he look upset that she was crying, like he may have cried to sympathise with her? She sat up straighter and slowly turned herself to stand up, grabbing one of the crutches to help her hobble in the direction of the bed. ''You are right, we should get some rest.''

Link watched as she got into the bed, extinguishing the lamp beside the bed. He watched her fall asleep, listening to her breath. She was crying again. Not sobbing tears like the night before but enough he could hear it. He got up and squatted beside the bed, brushing her hair from her face. ''Princess, can I do anything?''

Zelda gently held his hand. ''Ignore me when I'm an idiot.''

Link nodded as he got closer. ''Anything else?''

Zelda took a couple of breaths, trying to collect her thoughts. ``Nothing. Lie down and go to sleep.'' Link got up to walk back to the couch. ``No, don't hurt your neck. Either get the key for next door, or lie beside me again.''

''Which would you rather, Princess?'' he asked, looking at her figure in the moonlight. He may have only seen it's outline under the sheets but he knew she was beautiful under there.

She sounded anxious to say anything. ''Beside me.''

Link walked around, lying on top of the covers again, letting her roll onto him to hold him again. Her crying slowed as she fell asleep and Link was left staring at the ceiling again, wishing that she'd feel differently in the morning. Hyrule needed their queen nearly as much as he needed her. Nearly.


	4. Chapter 4

Link sat atop one of the buildings, looking over Mipha's statue. His memories of her were vague but he knew she had meant something important to her once upon a time. He remembered the feeling of her hand in his as she spoke to him softly about the time they'd share after Ganon, the time they'd never have.

He didn't remember feeling quite as strongly as she did — she was going to propose to him, after all — but he genuinely cared about her. He remembered the bittersweet feeling he had every time she spoke of what their lives could be, when he didn't feel quite the same. Perhaps someday but he was still a child when they spoke, unable to understand the commitments he was making to her.

''Ah, you're up there,'' Sidon called out from below, a hand attempting to lessen the glare of the morning sun. Link slid down, landing beside the Zora. ''My sister was beautiful, wasn't she?'' Link nodded, looking at the statue again. She really was. Sidon had his typical grin on his face as he stared at the reminder of his sister. ''You wouldn't have been the worst brother-in-law. I mean, you'd never be here because you'd always be following the princess but there could have been worse.''

Link stared at the statue, thinking about the future that could have been. Sidon was right; he never would have been there. The only reason he would have been is if he was relieved of his duties, which Zelda and the king may have done if the circumstances had been different. But Calamity Ganon had control for too long and the world was still dangerous; he wasn't going to be leaving the princess any time soon.

''She's definitely missed,'' Link replied, deciding that was the best answer. It was also the truth; he did miss her quite a lot, just like he missed the other champions.

''A scary thought is you would have been king,'' Sidon said and Link took a second to let that sink in.

''It's almost for the best then, isn't it?'' he replied and Sidon laughed.

He put a hand on Link's back, his trademark smile across his face. ''You could do it. You'd be a great king of the Zora.''

Link looked at Sidon. ''Now you will be.''

Sidon stepped back, looking up at his sister. ''Yeah, I suppose I will.''

They made their way back to the goddess statue, Zelda on her knees with her hands clasped together, head bowed in prayer. Her crutches sat aside, a Zora woman also waiting silently beside them. No one dared to interrupt the princess while she was praying; Link quietly made his way over to the woman and suggested she come back later, particularly as he'd stood aside her praying for hours on occasion. Based on the past couple of days, Link anticipated she'd be deep in prayer for a while again.

She was; she only opened her eyes a couple of hours later as the sound of thunder began to roll through the distance. She turned and looked at Link waiting, slowly getting up. ''I hope you weren't waiting long,'' she said as Link grabbed her crutches, carrying them over so she could walk again. ''Is the healer ready yet?''

''She came by twice,'' Link said and the princess looked at him. ''You always get lost in prayer when something's on your mind.'' He gave her a knowing look, one that told her he hadn't forgotten about the conversation the night before.

The healer hadn't travelled far, waiting patiently at a bench near the inn. ''You must have felt in touch with the goddess today, Princess,'' she said as she grabbed a bottle and some bandages from the table. ''I'd like to try some of our ointments to help with your arm today. I was worried yesterday just in case it was too open but after today it will be fine.''

Link stood aside, waiting patiently as the healer eased the princess' wounds. Her arm was still red and raw, Zelda trying her hardest not to pull a face as the woman put the ointment on the wound. ''Is it meant to sting?'' she asked, trying to keep her voice even as the woman looked at her.

''It does a little. The wound may still be too open if it's really painful, Princess. Please tell me if you want me to remove it.''

''Please do,'' Zelda said as she looked up, using her other hand to try and stop her eyes from watering. The wound seemed worse as the ointment came off, the woman putting a bit more of her energy into the arm than planned.

She couldn't do much about the ankle after she had dealt with Zelda's arm but the Princess was still grateful. ''Thank you, it does feel better,'' she said as she looked at her ankle which was covered in a purple and yellow bruise. The swelling had gone down which was a big start.

The woman left and Zelda looked at Link as she grabbed her crutches. ''I'd like to go for a walk around the Domain, get some fresh air,'' she said as she got up. ''You can walk with me instead of pretending you're not following, if you'd like.''

They walked slowly and carefully, particularly as the ground was particularly wet with the misty rain. Even while injured, the princess still had the same regal presence about her, talking about her new theories that she'd come up with in the morning. ''The smoke changed for me today,'' she said as she pulled the pendant from around her neck, holding it carefully as she walked. ''It looked like rain rolling in the distance. It's now like steam. I wonder if the weather affects it. Does it look different to you?''

Link took it and examined it carefully. ''I'm not sure,'' he said as he handed it back. ''It hasn't changed much if it has at all.''

Zelda frowned, looking at the pendant again. ''Why won't you show me anything?'' she asked as she held it up to the sunlight peeking through the clouds, hoping it would change. ''I think the goddess likes trying my patience.''

They walked in silence as they made their way back to the Zelda's room, Link closing the door so she could prepare herself for bed. He faced away as he usually did when she put on her nightgown, listening for the rustling to stop. ''I'll get the key to the adjoining room from the inn keeper,'' he said as he faced the wall.

''Oh,'' Zelda said, almost sounding disappointed. But it quickly changed. ''Does this mean you've forgiven me?''

Link nodded, turning as she sat down. ''I told you I just needed time, Princess.''

''Yes, well, I'm glad to hear it,'' she said as she looked at the pendant in her hands, the happy look disappearing from her face.

Link stepped forward, leaning on the couch as he tried to think of how to talk her out of her slump when he'd never been particularly good with words himself. ''Princess,'' he said quietly, catching her attention. ''If you are still worried, I really do think you'll be a great queen. And Hyrule needs you. You can see the mess the world has become in the absence of a ruler.''

''The world has become a mess because of Calamity Ganon, not because there wasn't a king or queen,'' Zelda replied, putting her hands in her lap. She had that look on her face again, the one where she was stubborn and had made up her mind.

''I think it's a combination of both,'' Link replied, hoping that compromise would make her come around to the idea that she was needed, at least somewhat. ''We need you, Princess.''

Zelda shook her head as she got under the covers, holding the pendant and her notebooks. ''I won't be able to do any of my research once I'm queen.''

''The research will just have to come to you,'' Link assured her. ''The same as they brought the guardians to the castle for the king, Princess. And you will still be able to leave the castle sometimes. They're not locking you inside.''

Zelda began to ignore him, quickly changing the subject. ''Do we know how far away Anson is yet? Could he meet us in Kakariko village? I want to keep moving.''

Link wasn't sure. He hadn't even received word yet that the man had received the message. There was a good chance the contact wasn't young to know about something presumably old, so travel times could have varied quite a lot. ''The Domain is on the way to Kakariko, Princess. It would make more sense for you to rest and heal than rush there and make it worse.''

Zelda didn't look pleased. She got up, grabbing one of the crutches as she held the pendant in her other hand, making her way out onto the small balcony to look at the stone in the moonlight. She held it up high as Link watched, her grip getting tighter as he could see the frustration across her shoulders, visibly tense under her gown.

She gripped it in a way that Link thought she might have thrown it, though she was clearly showing a lot of restraint. ''Princess.''

''Why does this always happen to me?'' she asked to the sky, looking up as her arms relaxed. She dropped the pendant to the ground as she leant on the railing, her forehead resting on the cold steel. ''Why must you test me with every aspect of my life?''

There was a quiet knock on the door before it opened a moment later after there was no response. ''Princess, I hope I'm not interrupting,'' Sidon said as he quietly walked in. ''Your light was on so I hoped you were not asleep. I have news from Tarrey Town I thought you'd like to know.''

Link looked back at him as Sidon's eyes set on the woman in white, able to see her sobs even from the door. Link got up and quietly led Sidon out, leaving the princess to have some privacy. Sidon seemed confused and concerned, his voice hushed so no one else would hear their conversation. ''Is she alright?''

Link folded his arms, unsure of how to respond. ''Stress.'' He wasn't wrong, he just wasn't sure of how much to disclose to the Zora prince.

Sidon's confusion lessened, but not the concern. ''Can I do anything to help? Anson is leaving Tarrey Town first thing tomorrow; his wife was in labour when the message first got there but they now have a healthy son. He's not as agile as we are, but will be here in three days by horseback. I know she was anxious to get answers.''

Link nodded. ''I think that will help.''

''I can send him someone out to escort him faster to Hyrule castle if she's worried about the preparations for her coronation. I know the plan was to see him in Tarrey Town, then visit Impa on your way back to the castle to start preparing. You should have been preparing for your trip to Kakariko by now,'' Sidon suggested and it only made Link feel worse. This was Sidon; surely he could trust him enough to share the princess' troubles.

''I think that would only make things worse,'' he replied and Sidon's frown deepened. ''She doesn't want to be queen.''

Sidon's entire expression dropped as he was lost for words. ''Doesn't want to be- Link, we need her. Do you know what it's like getting anything done without the king? We've been arguing for decades over who should be restoring everything in the kingdom. The temples, the bridges; no one wants to pay for it on their own and we can't agree on how the finances should be divided. We are happy to pay for the entirety of the bridges that only lead to our domain but we cannot and should not be solely responsible for the restoration of Lanayru road. We need her to help us come to an agreement. We need a ruler to make the final call.''

Link immediately tried to shush him. ''She doesn't think she is fit. She thinks she is better doing as she is now, continuing her research to help better the world.''

''She can do that too. But we need a queen.''

Sidon opened Zelda's door with more gusto than necessary, walking up the the princess and pulling her into a tight embrace. She looked confused as she hopped to make herself steady, nervous to return it. Her hands hovered just away from his skin, unsure of what to do. ''Prince Sidon-''

''Princess, you will make a wonderful queen. We need you more than ever and you are the right person for the job. The entire kingdom will help you continue your research as you please but we need you to be our ruler.''

The princess pushed him off in an instant, looking at Link with fury in her eyes. ''You told him?''

''And he should have sooner. You're just nervous, Princess-''

Zelda glared at the prince, grabbing the crutch that lay aside, hobbling back inside. ''If you'd please excuse me, gentlemen, I'm going to bed.''

''You will be amazing-''

''Get out of my room, Prince Sidon, before I have my knight escort you out with his sword,'' she threatened and Sidon looked at Link.

Link instinctually reached for his sword at the mention of it, pulling his hand away as Sidon looked between them both. ''Princess, please just listen to me. You don't need to worry-''

''Link, please take Prince Sidon away. He has overstayed his welcome in here.''

''Princess, this is my land, I will stay very well where I wish to and you must listen to me speak,'' Sidon said as the princess folded her arms, displeased with the fact he was right. She couldn't kick him out of his own land. ''If you have any concerns, you can express them to me with no worries. I will help you try to resolve them. You should not feel isolated or alone. You might recall that I am also an heir to a throne, I may just relate to how you're feeling. I also feel nervous for when I eventually take over my father but I am confident I will at least do my best, for which I will not be penalised. You can only do the same. If either of us is truly unfit, then it will be discussed then. But do not write yourself off before you even get the opportunity to try and prove yourself. You can do it, Princess. I believe in you.''

Zelda looked at him, her words and expressions showing completely different sentiments. ''Thank you for your kind words. I will be queen. There is no question that I will be so you needn't worry about it. If that is all, good night, Prince Sidon.''

The prince took a deep breath. ''Good night, Princess Zelda,'' he said before he turned around, beginning to walk out the door.

''Good night, Link,'' Zelda said and Link didn't move. ''Please go to your room now, I'm no longer in need of your assistance for this evening.''

He walked out of the room as he closed the door behind himself. Sidon sat aside, waiting patiently. ''She is certainly stubborn,'' he said and Link nodded.

''Yes, she is.''

''Does she think I don't understand? My pressures may not be as intense as hers but they're at least similar,'' Sidon said and Link sat beside him. He looked at the knight, a look of concern on his face. ''Is that why she tried to go on her own? Why she tried to send you away?''

Link sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. He was tired, emotionally strained after the nights of holding his princess while she wept herself to sleep. ''I think it was a combination of things. She is nervous about taking the throne most of all, but the fact she is once again unable to do something she should be able to is bothering her as well. When she asked me to look into it and I could see something, it reminded her of her struggles with the Sheikah technology where I could utilise it and she couldn't. Yet she was meant to save us from Ganon.''

''And she did in the end,'' Sidon replied. ''You merely weakened him. She is the one who sealed him away.''

''But it's the same frustration,'' Link clarified. ''It makes her feel like a failure.''

Sidon thought for a moment, trying to figure out what to do. ''What did you see? It had to have been important to bother her so much.''

Link looked at her door, taking in a deep breath. ''I saw her.''

''That would make sense. The water is my world and she is yours. Your life revolves around her,'' he said as he sat up straighter, unsurprised by the response.

''She doesn't understand that. She thought it was something she'd done to remove me of my independence. So she sent me home to try and have some time living my life without her.''

The prince smiled. ''You must have a thing for princesses,'' he said and Link's head quickly turned to look at him. ''Oh, don't be like that. Anyone can see the way you look at her. And they can all see how she looks back.''

Link stood up, shaking his head. ''I just want to see she is safe and well. That is my job, that is my responsibility.''

''It's not your responsibility to hold her while she sleeps at night,'' Sidon said and Link turned to him again. ''One of the inn keepers went in quietly to check on her the other night after you first got back to the Domain after she'd expressed it had been difficult to sleep two nights prior after you must have left. I'd warned her you'd probably wake up if you were in there on the couch or the floor so to duck if you began throwing things, but she said she barely got in the door and saw you both asleep on the bed, so she left.''

It must have been in one of the very few moments he actually fell into a deep sleep, which was concerning for a number of reasons. First of all, what if it hadn't have just been an inn keeper and it had been someone trying to hurt the princess? Secondly, he'd let them get caught in a position that would look poor on the princess' behalf. They weren't married or even betrothed; they weren't even a known couple. Even married couples in the kingdom tended to sleep in separate beds unless they were trying for a child.

''Please tell me she hasn't told anyone else,'' Link said as he felt his heart racing. ''She was crying. I was comforting her while she cried herself to sleep. There was nothing more to it. I swear on the goddess Hylia that there is nothing else going on.''

Sidon laughed. ''She only told me. She understood that it was something that needed to be clarified before any rumours started to spread. She's swore on the goddess statue itself that she wouldn't say a word.''

Link felt relieved. ''Thank you,'' he said as he exhaled, his heart beginning to slow. ''Do I need to explain?''

''I will for you. I assumed there'd be a reason,'' he said as he stood up. ''If you want to keep saying you are just doing your job, you need to learn where the line is before others assume something else is going on. Unless something is, in which case you better stop those rumours about you and the Kakariko girl.''

Link was confused. ''Which Kakariko girl?'' he asked and Sidon laughed.

''I suppose that's half the rumour,'' he said as he got up to leave, still laughing at Link's confused expression.

''Sidon. Sidon!'' Link tried to project without yelling, hoping he'd get a response. The prince had a habit of making jokes like those, so he couldn't even tell if the rumours were actually around. Sidon heard more than Link had given him credit for but that didn't mean he wouldn't take the opportunity to tease. He just hoped the princess hadn't heard anything.


	5. Chapter 5

The princess was awake early the next morning, so early that Link woke up to the sounds of her crutches down the hallway. He got up quickly, following her down the stairs as she made her way to the goddess statue. ''Princess, slow down. It's very slippery in the morning.''

''Just because it is wet does not give me an excuse not to pray,'' she shouted over her shoulder as she made her way with unusual haste. She put her crutches on the ground as she got onto her knees, clasping her hands together and bowing her head.

She stayed like that for hours. It was in the afternoon when she finally sat back on the ground. Link walked over taking her arm as he helped her to her feet. ''Anson will be here in three days. His wife was having a child so his departure was delayed,'' Link said as Zelda took her crutch from his hands to support herself again.

''That is good to hear. After we are finished with this research, we will head to Kakariko to check in with Impa. Then, once that is done, I'd like to go visit each of the three springs before I go back to the castle for the coronation. I would like to pray to the goddess statues there one last time before I lose the ability to go there freely,'' she said, her voice serious as she began to make her way up toward where they knew the prince would be.

''Ah, good afternoon, Princess,'' Sidon said with a smile on his face, almost acting as if the night before had never happened.

She had the expression on her face that she always did when she was attending to royal duties. ''I have heard the concerns of your people and it's about time I sit with you and the king to speak about them.''

Sidon was taken back by her sudden political interest. ''We can deal with it after your coronation, Princess.''

''No, it's been put off long enough. If I'm going to be queen then I need to know the concerns of my kingdom and help them resolve them,'' she insisted.

Sidon looked at Link whose expression only told him she'd been in this mood all day and there was no point in arguing. ''If you insist, Princess. I don't think we should involve my father just yet but if you'd like to take a walk with me while we speak about it, we can certainly do that. I don't expect any resolutions before your coronation as you're very busy in preparations for that.''

Zelda nodded. ''That would be a wonderful.''

Link followed the royal pair as they wandered around the Domain slowly. ''We want to fund the restoration of the monuments. This is very expensive, so we're concerned about the contributions we're making toward the restoration of other villages when they make none back to us. We are lucky and have more funds than some of the other areas but we need to take care of ourselves if we want to continue contributing to the kingdom as a whole.''

''That sounds very reasonable,'' Zelda said as she walked beside him. ''Are there any roads, monuments, temples or the like that you'd like to see restored from outside your region in particular?''

Sidon had to think. ''The three springs would be a nice start. And the kingdom itself, of course. As far as I'm aware, you're currently living in about a third of the old castle. I only went there a few times as a small child but it was beautiful and a great venue for meetings between the village leaders. The current circulation approach is nice but when matters are urgent, it would be much nicer to head to a more central location.''

The princess nodded. ''They're restoring more of it as we speak. There's only been a few rooms that were still usable but hopefully it will be looking much better upon our return. The restoration is one of the factors in the delays for my coronation thus far but everything seems to be on track.''

The sun had a certain shine on the wet metallic paths, making it look like sparkling jewels. It reflected in Zelda's eyes, distributing sparkles of green in various hues. It was beautiful, just like she was. Even with just glimpses as she'd turn her head, Link couldn't help but admire them. ''Now that we are sufficiently away from anyone else,'' Zelda said as she suddenly stopped, turning to face the prince as Link also came to a sudden halt. ''I do not appreciate the rumours being spread around your village and would appreciate if you took the necessary steps to stop them.''

Sidon looked surprised again, looking at Link. ''Which rumours are you speaking of?''

''All of them,'' Zelda said and Sidon folded his arms. ''We'll start with my health. Other than my injuries, I am perfectly fine. These will be healed up in the next couple of days and I will be back to normal. In the meantime, it is not at all affecting my judgement and I can still lead and make decisions without anyone being concerned.''

Sidon nodded. ''I wasn't aware of people doubting your health, Princess, but I will make sure they know you can do anything you want to do.''

The princess nodded. ''Secondly, there is nothing going on between myself and my knight. He hasn't disclosed the details to me yet but I've heard whisperings of a woman in Kakariko, and I'm sure they'd appreciate it if their relationship wasn't undermined with rumours of one between the two of us.''

Sidon hesitated as he looked at Link. ''I will do. I imagine they are just people speculating who will be your king, Princess. There's been no mention of other suitors and the people are interested in whom it will be.''

The princess suddenly looked flustered. ''Yes, well, I don't know yet. Finding a husband has not been high on my priority list and won't be for a while.''

''I can tell that to my people but they're still going to try and guess. It's not so much a rumour you're an item as people wanting to know who will have a say over their lives. I get the same thing, Princess. I can only imagine how much worse it will get come the time I become king if I have not settled down yet,'' Sidon empathised. ''As for the Kakariko girl, Link will have to clarify. I've heard a number of different versions of the story.''

Link was still confused. ''There is no Kakariko girl,'' he said as the two royals looked at him, both with frowns on their faces. ''I don't even know who it would be.''

''I heard Impa's granddaughter, Paya. I know she has a thing for you,'' Zelda said as Link frowned. He did know that after unknowingly reading her diary, mistaking it for what he thought was going to be a journal about the Sheikah technology. He certainly hadn't treated her any differently. As far as he knew, she thought he didn't know.

''I heard Paya, I heard the arrow girl, the girl at the inn, the girl at the armour shop,'' Sidon said and Zelda gave him a confused look.

''Did you hear every girl in the village, by any chance?'' she asked and Sidon laughed.

''Must be just about.''

Link had to think about it for a few moments. He could at least put a face to most of those women, but one stood out in particular. ''There isn't even a woman at the inn in Kakariko.''

The pair turned to look at him. ''Is there any truth to the rumours?'' Zelda asked and Link shook his head.

''No,'' he said as he tried to think about how they would have even started. ''I had dinner with the girl in the general store once, but that wasn't even… it wasn't a date, Princess. I don't know where the idea is coming from.''

Sidon folded his arms, quite amused by the whole situation. He could see through Link's expression, aware the knight was holding something back. ''Is she a friend?''

Link hesitated. ''Not particularly. It was raining and the princess had sent me there to deliver a message to Impa. I went in to buy food and she invited me to stay and eat out of the cold,'' he explained.

Sidon gave Link a look to let him know the conversation wasn't over but he could see Link wasn't going to give him any further answers with the princess present. He'd get to the bottom of why rumours were spreading sooner or later. ''I see. Well, then I suppose your concerns about Link's non-existent relationship are no longer a problem. Still not ideal but it's not affecting anybody else,'' he said as he looked back at the princess. ''However, I shall do what I can to make the rumours stop.''

''Thank you, Prince Sidon,'' Zelda said, pleased with the conversation. ''And I do appreciate your words yesterday. I'm sure you can understand I was just overcome with stress, due to the upcoming coronation, trying to work out this pendant, and my injuries. I already feel much better and apologise if you were at all concerned about the silly things I said while I was overwhelmed.''

The Zora prince smiled. ''And I appreciate you, Princess. I really do think you are the best queen we could ask for, your highness. If you need anything from myself or my people, please just ask.''

''Thank you,'' she said as she smiled. ''I've taken enough time out of your day. Link will walk with me back to my room.''

Sidon nodded. ''I'm sure I'll see you again later, Princess.'' He dove off the side, swimming across to a waterfall to climb where he needed to be.

Link could see the princess shaking as she walked along, clearly getting tired and sore. She'd been pretending she was alright for so long she couldn't bare it anymore. ''Would you like me to carry you back?'' Link asked and Zelda shook her head.

''It hurts under my arms most of all,'' she said as she stood up straighter, holding the crutches in front to hold her balance. ''Just give me a minute. I'll be okay.''

Link gently helped her sit, hoping it would speed up her recovery. There was an awkward silence as neither could read the other's thoughts; there was just too much to think about. Link cleared his throat as he sat beside her, looking out across the beautiful lake. ''Are you still scared, Princess?''

Zelda hesitated as she licked her lips, trying to work out the right thing to say. ''I think I will always be scared. But it's not as if I have a choice. I am going to be queen.''

Link looked at her with his elbows on his knees, leaning forward as not to be quite so intimidating. He'd grown just a little in the past two years, just enough that he no longer looked like a child, though he still had a boyish charm about him. He was still just shorter than the princess, but the gap had at least closed a little bit. There was only about an inch in comparison to the two or three previously. His height had never bothered him but he did appreciate people were starting to acknowledge he was an adult and not a child anymore. He was older than most of the people he met if they counted his hundred years in the resurrection chamber.

''Do you want to be?'' he asked and Zelda looked into his eyes, the look almost begging for him to take her far away. The problem was everybody knew who she was; he could take her to the far ends of Hyrule and they would always be found. Not to mention, Hyrule had no other heirs and they desperately needed leadership sooner rather than later. ''It's okay if you don't, Princess.''

Zelda looked out across the horizon, admiring the way the sun reflected in the moving water. ''It's hard to want something that's been pushed on me my entire life. And I was meant to have more time learning from my father. I don't know anything about the politics except the little bits I'd hear when I'd sneak into his meetings when I was a little girl. He was so preoccupied with making sure I was praying to awaken my powers that I didn't get to learn anything from him before…''

Link knew the king; he wasn't there but he was certain the man would have been their with his soldiers, doing his best to fight off the evil forces that had taken over the castle. He'd died at the very early stages of Ganon's take over.

Zelda would always get upset about the death of her father; not only was he her family but she had a feeling of guilt that she hadn't woken her powers sooner to seal away Ganon before the calamity began so she could save the lives of him and thousands of others.

''He would be proud of all you've done,'' Link assured her, watching her fight back tears.

Zelda turned her head to look at the knight. ''How have you adjusted so well to this new world?''

Link sat up a little straighter. ''I had an extra year,'' he said as he didn't lose eye contact with her at all. ''And I didn't have any memories when I woke up. The world was what it was. I only got my past back in small snippets until recently. Travelling with you again has brought back a lot but I know there are still more I need to recover.''

Zelda had a bittersweet smile on her face. ''And you've made new friends.''

Link shrugged. ''I guess so,'' he said as he thought about all of the new people he'd met. It had certainly eased a lot of the pain when he'd suddenly recall the people he used to know, the people that were long dead. The princess was still getting to know her new subjects.

Zelda looked into the distance again. ''I haven't seen Purah and Symin for a while.''

''Would you like to go to Hateno too?'' Link asked. This was quickly turning into a whole world tour. At some point he was going to have to tell her to choose a certain number of places and then prevent her from going to any more.

Zelda smiled. ''That might be nice. You can sleep in your own bed for a night or two.''

Link stood up, watching the way the sun was resting on the mountain tops in the distance. ''Dinner will be ready for you soon.''

He helped the princess to her feet. She didn't look any less sore but at least the shaking had stopped. She made it back to the main area, sitting down at a table as the healer waited by patiently. ''I hope we haven't kept you waiting all day,'' Zelda apologised and the woman shook her head.

''No, no. Don't worry about me, your highness.''

The woman tried the ointment again after she healed a bit more of the wound, Zelda still looking sore. ''Is it still stinging, Princess? It's a very deep cut. Much deeper than I first thought,'' she said as the princess shook her head.

''No, it's fine,'' she said and the woman didn't quite believe her. ''It's barely there. I promise it's okay.''

The woman was still sceptical but decided to move on. Zelda stood up as she finished, taking a few shaky steps without the crutches. She looked pleased as she could finally move about unaided, though she was very quickly tired. ''Please don't push it too much, Princess. You should be almost back to normal after tomorrow's session. You will still need to take it easy as it won't be completely fixed but you'll be able to move around again.''

''That's the best news I've heard all day. Thank you,'' she said as she looked at Link. She got up and walked with only a slight limp and a bright smile. They walked slowly to the dining area at the inn, Link holding the crutches in his hands as the princess insisted she would walk without them. The smile couldn't be wiped off her face all night.

* * *

 _Hello there! You've made it to the end of chapter five now, so it's about time I finally say a big thank you to all the readers. I really appreciate all of your support with the follows, favourites and reviews I've gotten so far. The emails arriving in my inbox really brighten my day and motivate me to keep going._

 _I hope you're enjoying this story as much as I have been writing it. Until the next chapter, thank you again and have a wonderful day!_


	6. Chapter 6

Anson arrived the next evening, weary from his hurried travels. He knelt in front of the princess, his head low as he apologised profusely for the delay. ''I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting, your highness. I made my way here as fast as I could.''

''You're here a day ahead of schedule,'' she said and the Rito nodded.

''Yes. You see, my wing was permanently damaged in the great calamity so I cannot fly. But if the wind is in my favour, I can still glide. I just don't get any extra lift so I have to be careful,'' he said as he looked down at the ground. ''The goddess must have been smiling on me during my travels.''

''That's enough kneeling,'' she said and the Rito stood up. ''It must be very limiting to be a Rito that cannot fly.''

Anson nodded, stroking the clearly injured wing with his chocolate coloured feathers. ''It is why I moved to Tarrey Town with my wife. We couldn't live together in Gerudo Town for obvious reasons.''

The princess nodded as she looked at Link, ushering for him to bring over something for the tired traveller to sit on. Zelda pulled the pendant from around her neck, holding it gently in her hands as she presented it to him. The bird man whistled, picking it up in his feathers as he held it in his hands. ''I was told you're the man to ask about this,'' she said and the Rito held it up to the light.

''Oh yes,'' he said as he admired it. ''My mother used to tell me stories.''

The princess admired his expression, her look of curiosity catching Link's attention. He couldn't help but stare. ''What do you see?'' the princess asked. She looked at Link and frowned, the knight quickly breaking his gaze and looking at the floor.

Anson had a bittersweet expression. ''I was told it's the future you want. I wish to fly again, so that is what I see. For some, it isn't as clear as others. I'm sure you see the throne, Princess, and your successful reign.''

Zelda's look disappeared from her face. That was what she should have seen but she still only saw the fog. That was definitely what she wanted for her people, whether she was queen or not. It seemed distasteful for her to say he was wrong so she lied. ''Yes, that's it. It was hard to distinguish what it was before now. People smiling isn't exactly the most obvious image.''

Link knew she was lying; he could see it in her eyes as she examined it again, trying to force the image into her mind. The princess stood up, examining it further as she moved toward him. Anson seemed pleased he could give her the answer she needed. ''I'm glad I could help you, Princess.''

Zelda began to frown as she looked at Link, holding the stone for him to take. ''Does it vary? I've asked a few people of various species now and they seem to give different answers.''

The Rito frowned. ''Not that I was told, but my mother was obviously a Rito as well. Do you have an example?''

''Prince Sidon saw waves,'' Zelda suggested.

Anson sat in deep thought. ''I see. Well, he is a Zora. Wanting to see water in his future is pretty obvious. There could have been more detail he didn't tell you as most people find it to be quite personal.''

They were left to wonder for a while, Anson eventually standing. ''Please forgive me, Princess, but I think I would like to go spend some time in the inn. I am rather tired from my travels. I hope to be of more help to you tomorrow.''

Zelda nodded. ''Thank you very much. Have a pleasant night.''

''You too, Princess.''

The man excused himself, Zelda sitting in quiet thought. Link watched her expressions, frustration setting in again. She got up, walking in a hurry along the boardwalk, back to the goddess statue she'd spent most of her morning praying to.

She clasped the pendant between her hands, bowing her head as she fell to her knees. ''Please just show me something. Anything will do. Please.'' Link stood back, watching her desperate prayers. She stayed like that for a while before she looked up, her eyes set on the heavens. ''If you don't show me something soon, I'm going to assume it means I don't have a future.''

''Princess,'' Link said as he could see a tear of frustration running down her cheek. ''It's just a rock. Don't base your entire future on it.''

Zelda turned to face him. ''This is my future we're talking about.''

''Do you know what you want in your future, Princess?'' Link asked and Zelda hesitated.

''No, I do not.''

Link gently took her hand to help her to her feet. She'd pushed herself too hard whilst walking there, already nursing the foot again as she struggled to put weight on it. ''If you do not know, how should it? I want you safe, that is my future and what I want. Anson wants to fly. The prince wants to see the ocean or something, I don't know. But we know what we want. You don't.''

His words comforted her just a little as she wiped her eyes. ''Yes, I suppose you're right. I'm getting upset over something so silly,'' she said as she looked at the stone again. ''Then I will have to decide what I want for my future, won't I? Until then, I think we should find more participants in the study. Surely I won't be the only one undecided on their future.''

Link was relieved he'd at least removed some of her stresses. He'd helped remove her sense of failure and replaced it with ambition, which was a much better look in her eyes. It was a fire in her spirit that he would never let go out. Without it, she was not the princess he'd risked his life to save time and time again.

He hadn't even realised they'd still been holding hands, both staring into space in each other's direction. He quickly let go and took her arm like he normally would to support her, helping her back to her room. He rarely took her hand; usually it was because he'd missed her arm as he pulled her away from danger. It wouldn't have been a big deal if they'd let go immediately but standing there for a minute or so left other implications.

Zelda had the same awkward look on her face as they walked into her room, Link closing the door. ''I think that's all for this evening,'' she said as she held the pendant between her hands, toying with it nervously. ''Have a good sleep, Link.''

''Yes, Princess. You too.''

He was up before the princess again, entertaining the prince with some sword practice. Sidon wasn't bad at all, he just wasn't the princess' knight for a reason. ''You are too good at this, Link. I guess that is why you are champion,'' the Zora said, a smile on his face as he resumed his stance.

''You're holding back,'' Link replied as he stood still, patiently waiting for the next move. ''You won't get a single point if you don't come at me like you're serious.''

''But you're holding back too,'' Prince Sidon said as he moved, his sword banging against Link's in a swift movement. He'd hoped to get him off guard but it was a silly idea to think Link wouldn't be prepared.

''Don't worry about me,'' Link replied. ''If you land a hit, I'll congratulate you. I will drop my sword and concede a point before then.''

As if to demonstrate, Link caught the Zora's sword right near the hilt, flicking it out of his hand with ease. The prince was thrilled despite the loss of another point, grinning as he walked over to pick the blade up again. ''You are truly amazing. Undefeatable.''

''Don't inflate his ego too much,'' Zelda said as she walked in their direction, Link instinctively dropping to one knee. Zelda smiled, clearly in a good mood as she continued to tease him. ''Stand up. I want to watch and make sure you're not getting rusty. I can't be have my knight become weak on me or I'll have to find a new one.''

She sat aside, watching the two men spar. They'd even begun to sweat as they slowly got more serious, Link showing his agility as Sidon took advantage of the wet surface. There was a thin layer of water, which was enough for the Zora prince to throw in a few of his extra tricks to keep Link on his toes.

Zelda enjoyed watching them, seeing the level of concentration and enjoyment on their faces as they tried their best to force the other to drop their weapon. It helped that it was a very nice sight, watching Link wipe the sweat from his brow with a grin on his face, stepping forward and knocking away the sword again.

Link glanced up at the princess, confused by her gaze. Sidon took the opportunity, Link barely catching the blade as he swung it back. Sidon staggered, Link's sword under his chin barely touching his neck. ''I'm beginning to think catching you off guard might get me killed,'' he said as Link withdrew, looking apologetic.

''I went too far.''

''No, it was good. I haven't had the opportunity to practice with someone like that for a long time. You are excellent. Definitely the best in all of Hyrule. I'm honoured to have been your partner today,'' he said as he gave his signature smile. The day Sidon wasn't an optimist was the day that they knew something was truly wrong with the world.

Anson made his way up the stairs, holding a notebook and the pendant. ''Princess, I've finished asking every person I could find and all of the notes are right here,'' he said as handed it over to the young woman.

The princess looked pleased. ''Thank you, Anson. I'm sorry to have left you on your own,'' she said as she began to flick through the notes. ''I will have to look into these in more depth this afternoon.''

''I just hope your ankle is feeling better, Princess. I'm glad to be of any assistance at all,'' he said as he looked at the two men. ''Keeping your skills sharp?''

Sidon nodded. ''I'm not even sure my army could knock him off of his feet.''

''I've watched him take on guardians and dozens of monsters,'' Zelda said as she flicked through her notebook. ''He would at least give them a tough fight.''

They wandered down to the prince's quarters, sitting at a table as they were brought some food to share. There was a clear difference between each of them in just how they ate; Zelda used the utensils and ate small portions at a time as Sidon did similar with much larger bites. Both clearly had been taught how to be neat as royals as not to look sloppy or disrespectful. Anson was a bit messy but was otherwise generally good with the utensils, and Link had given up on them and began pulling the meat directly off the points closest to the bones, leaving the easier pieces to those trying to eat neatly. They knew he wasn't dignified; he'd been taught to survive in the wild in the harshest of circumstances, making sure he could provide for the princess if they were ever stuck there. Sure, he'd sat at a few formal dinners and could at least pretend to be if he needed to but it was just easier to eat with his hands most of the time. At least he knew not to speak with his mouth full unless he couldn't help it.

''How is your wife and the baby?'' Sidon asked as he looked at the Rito, trying to make conversation with the stranger.

He smiled. ''A healthy daughter. She's very much a Gerudo but that's okay,'' he said as he leaned on the table. ''Malaina was perfect through it all. Her sister is there with her so at least she's not alone.''

Zelda looked at the Rito with a look of appreciation. ''Does she have a name?''

Anson smiled as he gently leaned on the table. ''I'll find out when I get home. If you've ever spent much time with a woman from the Gerudo Valley, you'll know you have to be happy to just say 'yes dear' to a lot of things.''

Link agreed, though he didn't speak. He'd met a number of them in his trips into Gerudo Town and all of them had strong personalities. They were also twice his height and incredibly strong; he'd consider running away if he was faced with the Gerudo army instead of taking on a probably suicidal fight. Zelda and Sidon laughed, amused by the relationship that seemed unbalanced yet was clearly working well for them.

''I suppose you'd be looking for a king with your coronation coming up soon,'' Anson said and Zelda took a moment to gather her thoughts.

''To be honest with you, it's not very high on my list of priorities,'' she said in a very political manner.

Sidon seemed rather interested. ''Won't it be harder to get out and meet people once you're queen?'' he asked, Zelda trying to work out her feelings toward the topic. She didn't want a husband yet; she wasn't even beginning to think about settling down to a married life. There was still too much to do and too little time.

''I suppose so but I do like the way meetings are currently spread amongst the villages. If we continue the pattern to at least some extent in the future, there will be more opportunity than some of my family had in the past,'' she said as she looked at the Zora prince. She knew he was going to have to go through the same thing sooner or later. ''But that is several years away yet. I don't think I need a king to be a successful queen. The Gerudo haven't had one for over a century now.''

''They haven't had a male Gerudo born for two or three,'' Anson clarified. ''But you're right. You don't need a king to be a great queen, Princess. I do agree with Prince Sidon though; I think you'll be too busy with your duties and it's not something you want to leave too long, particularly as I'm assuming you'll want to have an heir sooner rather than later, just in case.''

The princess was getting more and more flustered. ''Well, I- I don't particularly think that at my age I should be worried about that just yet,'' she said as she shuffled in her seat. ''I may have lived over a hundred years but my body is only eighteen years old. I'm sure I will have time to find a suitable husband sometime before I can't bare children anymore.''

''But what if something happens, Princess? What if you fall ill or something else? I don't want to speak about the topic but knowing the heir to the throne is important information. Who will be the next king or queen once you pass, hopefully after a long and fulfilled life but that is up to the goddess,'' Anson said as he seemed concerned. ''I think that should be a priority that you need to consider.''

''I have other relatives that could take the throne but you, Princess, there is no one else left,'' Sidon clarified. ''For what a wonderful queen you will be, I don't want to see the kingdom fall into disarray over disputes over leadership that could last decades or centuries after your death.''

Zelda relaxed her shoulders, looking at the two men as Link tried to keep out of the argument. He could tell she was highly uncomfortable about the topic. ''If you don't mind as it is not your business, but I've just spent a hundred years trapped in the castle with Calamity Ganon. Please forgive me if I'd like to live a little more of my life away from the place I watched my family and friends die, and if I need a little more time to be ready to form those kinds of relationships again. If for some reason I do pass away prematurely, then the council will just have to vote between themselves. Whomever gets the most votes will become king or queen and take on the throne.''

''The council as in the elders?'' Sidon asked. That seemed a little counterintuitive to start a new royal family line on the blood of the old. Despite the fact they would have great wisdom, they were likely to pass of old age before the kingdom adapted to the new form of leadership.

''Elders, village leaders, the royal guard; anybody of significant stature in their community. You could be king if that is what's decided,'' Zelda suggested and Sidon seemed surprised.

''King of Hyrule? No one would vote for me. I have a clear bias toward the Zora. They will want someone without such a bias.''

''I don't know any of the village leaders or elders that don't have the bias to their own kind, Prince Sidon. It is something you will just have to consider if you ever have to cast a vote,'' Zelda said as she looked at him, trying to convey that they weren't changing her mind. She had taken it into consideration but she wasn't ready to be married yet. She barely knew herself outside of her purpose to seal away Ganon.

Sidon thought for a moment before he looked at Link. ''I'd vote for you.''

Link frowned. ''Me?''

Sidon nodded. ''You are unbiased. You treat every person you meet equally and will fight for our world until your final breath. I think you would make a great king.''

Link shook his head. ''I disagree. I am just a soldier.''

''A soldier whom used to command the army at fourteen years of age when it was required of you. A leader who knows when to make sacrifices when needed and how to benefit the larger community. You completed so many tasks for my people out of the good of your heart, for sometimes nothing in reward but their appreciation. You are the kind of man I would be happy to see as king.''

Link looked at the princess, hoping she'd say something to prevent this from escalating any further. She seemed to be lost in thought, not even coming to his aid as Anson spoke. ''He is Hylian and the last champion. I would need to hear more about the other candidates but your reputation proceeds you. Evil forces would hesitate to try anything against you and the elite army you would have. You have the master sword.''

Link still felt uneasy about the idea. Never in his life had he considered the possibility that he would be King of Hyrule. He didn't even expect to become King of the Zora when he had been with Mipha; he assumed they'd not want a ruler of a different species and he may have been considered a prince or become knighted by them, but never the king. ''I hope it never comes to that. I will be doing everything I can to make sure the princess lives a long and happy life.''

Zelda looked up at him. She seemed appreciative of his words. They got up as Sidon and the Rito began to discuss other matters, leaving the princess to study the notes he'd collected in her room. ''Thank you for not joining in the conversation about getting married,'' Zelda said as she turned the pages slowly, trying to get an idea of any gaps that may have been left.

Link nodded. ''They're just concerned, Princess.''

She let out a long sigh. ''I- never mind.''

''What is it?'' he asked and Zelda looked up at him.

''The last time I shared something personal with you, you told Sidon. I don't particularly feel like sharing my personal thoughts with you anymore,'' she said and Link felt guilty. He'd only meant to help.

He sat down on the floor beside her as she used the desk someone had brought out for her, letting her take advantage of the beautiful views across the domain. ''I'm not royalty, Princess. I couldn't relate to the feeling. I thought he might have been able to help. I won't do it again. You can trust me, Princess.''

Zelda took a moment after looking into his eyes. ''Thinking about a king makes me nervous. My life has been devoted to the goddess so far, I don't have any experience with… you're the only person outside my family who has held my hand, and that's to help me up or get me out of danger. I wouldn't know what to do.''

Link had always assumed. He hadn't spent every day of her life with her, but definitely more than enough to know there'd really been very little opportunity. If he'd left her, she was in the castle. He'd at least had time away where he'd met and talked to people without the same pressures she had. He'd never had anything of real significance; he struggled with any sort of commitment when he was always going to give them up to help the princess if she needed it.

''I don't know much either, Princess, but if it's something that is so common, it can't be that hard,'' Link replied as he leaned forward on his knees. ''Not when the person is the right one.''

Zelda let go of the book, sliding the pen in the page she'd been reading to keep track. ''But how do you… I don't know.''

Link continued to look at her. ''What, Princess?''

Zelda got onto the floor, sitting on her legs as she looked at him. ''A lot of it doesn't make any sense. From a biological standpoint, how is any of that a good thing? When you kiss someone you don't breathe properly and how is kissing even interesting? Why do people seem to enjoy it? There's so many questions I have.''

Link sat up as she got closer, asking a whole bunch of questions. ''Uh,'' he said as he sat back, keeping his knees between them.

''Well?'' Zelda asked as she waited, staring at him as she hoped for an answer.

Link tried to think of anything to make her back away, hoping she'd stop her questioning. The whole topic was awkward and he didn't really feel like having it with the princess at most points in time, let alone when she was inches from his face. ''It's something you just have to experience to get it, I guess.''

Zelda sat back again, looking disappointed and awkward. ''I see,'' she said as she looked at her hands. ''I- … Ca-'' She hesitated. After a few seconds, she glanced up at him. ''I guess I'll just have to wait until it happens, won't I?''

Link nodded, feeling oddly disappointed. He almost thought she was going to ask him to kiss her, but clearly she wasn't. He'd never do it without invitation; doing so would be the quickest way to get himself removed as her knight that he could think of. ''I guess so.''

Zelda got up, looking back at her notes. ''You can go now. I want to concentrate on these to see if I can draw any conclusions. We may need to continue our studies while we travel.''

Link excused himself, closing the door as he leant on it. He rested his head back as he tried to absorb what had just happened. It was another topic he'd rather have passed onto Sidon who would have probably been almost too enthusiastic but could have at least given her coherent answers to her questions instead of just avoiding the topic. He'd have to think of what to say if she asked him again in the future, hopefully when it would be a whole lot less awkward for the two of them.

 _Thanks for reading! I apologise if there's any typos as I had to upload this from my phone. I'm going away for the weekend so may not be able to update for a couple of days but we'll see what happens. Until next time, let me know what you think with a follow, favourite or a review. Thanks so much!_


	7. Chapter 7

The princess stood outside with her bags, speaking with Anson about the pendant. She'd packed while Link had taken on the prince's offer for a rematch, leaving him very confused when he met up with her again. ''I was just telling Anson we're on our way to Kakariko today. He is going to go home and see if he can find any more information about the pendant from his mother and family, then will send the information to the castle. If we are in need of further assistance I will be in touch.''

Link gave her a confused look. ''We're leaving now?''

''Yes, I told you as soon as my ankle was good enough to walk, we were going to leave. That would be now,'' she said as Link felt uncertain. It was still early to be walking between villages on it. She'd barely gotten through the previous day before her foot had started to get sore again, and that was just wandering around the Zora's Domain for a few hours.

''I think another day or two would be better,'' Link said and Zelda sighed.

She put her hands on her hips as she looked at him. ''I know my body, Link. I understand your concerns but I am fine. We've already spent more time here than I had originally intended, I would like to get moving.''

He knew he wasn't going to win, collecting his things before meeting her again. She was talking to Sidon, thanking him for the hospitality he had shown. ''Any time, Princess. Perhaps the next time we see you, you will be queen.''

Zelda was a lot less enthusiastic. ''That seems likely. Thank you once again.''

''Any time, Princess.''

Link didn't need to say anything for the prince to know he was thankful. He gave something between a wave and a salute, the Zora smiling and giving his typical thumbs-up. ''You are the best swordsman in all of Hyrule, but I'll keep practicing and maybe you'll lose a point next time.''

''I'd like to see it,'' Link said as he saw Sidon's grin only get bigger. ''Shall we go, Princess?''

Zelda nodded, walking beside him as they made their way toward the mountainous terrain that surrounded the village. She was flicking through her notes as she walked, explaining her findings as they went. ''It seems that every one could see something though I did check with Anson and he stated he had told everyone what the stone did before asking what they saw. I'd like to ask anyone we pass in our travels without telling them what to expect.''

He could see that her inability to see anything was still eating away at her. He particularly paid attention to the sound of her steps, making sure to notice whenever she took an awkward step. Most of the path was flat but there were still a few areas that needed restoration with a few stray potholes and rocks to cause tripping hazards.

''Would you stop listening to my steps, please?'' Zelda asked as she gave him one of her annoyed looks. ''I will tell you if I'm getting sore. My ankle is fine.''

Of course she'd noticed. He was particularly quiet, even by his standards. ''I just want to be sure, Princess,'' he said and Zelda rolled her eyes, letting out a slight huff as she went back to her notes. ''It starts to get rough up here. You should watch your step.''

The princess put the book in her bag, holding the straps as they walked in an awkward silence. ''So there's definitely no girl in Kakariko?'' Zelda said, breaking the quiet to look at him.

Link shook his head. ''No,'' he said as he looked at her. She had to realise she had nothing to worry about sooner or later.

''Is there a girl in another village?'' she asked and Link shook his head, a little flustered by the question. This was moving on from rumours and onto the potential of further interrogation about his non-existent love life. ''Boy?''

Link shook his head even harder. ''No. No one, Princess. Nothing lasts very long when you're constantly on call to risk your life. But that's not for you to worry about, Princess.''

She walked along a few more steps, still thinking as she avoided the rough terrain. ''If you do want to go, if there ever was someone who would make you want to, you can. You know that, right?'' she said and Link nodded.

''There isn't anyone so far, Princess,'' he said clearly, making sure she didn't feel any guilt. ''I won't be thinking about it until you are settled and safe. Once the queen's guard is ready again.''

That at least gave her some amount of comfort; there was at least a few years before that would be established enough Link could leave his duties. Even then, she was likely to have spent most of her time in the castle so he may have still kept his role and invited his future wife — or husband, he'd certainly earned the right to be happy with whomever he wanted — to live with him in central Hyrule near the castle so he could stay with the princess but live the kind of life he deserved as well.

She was quiet again, lost in thought as she walked. Link stepped ahead over a fallen tree, putting his hand out to take her arm so she could keep balanced. Her foot caught as she stepped without concentrating, Link's hands automatically reaching out to catch her. She fell into his arms, feeling him lift her up and over the last bit to sit her down on the ground. ''Are you okay, Princess?''

She nodded. ''Yes, I'm sorry. I should have been paying attention.'' Zelda got up and took a step, immediately feeling the toll it had taken. It wasn't nearly as bad as it had been, but it had certainly aggravated it somewhat. She was determined to keep going; there was no way she was going to let it stop her.

Link could see it in her walk as he trailed a couple of steps behind. ''Princess-''

''If your next words are 'we should stop' then I'm not listening,'' she replied as she walked, trying to minimise any limp she may have been developing.

Link stayed quiet, walking up beside her again on her sore side, letting her hold his arm. He pulled the bag from her back, sliding it over his arm so there was less pressure on her. ''If you'd like to take a rest at any time, just say the word,'' he said and Zelda nodded.

They pushed on for a couple more hours until Zelda finally stopped, sitting by the road as they finally reached the Inogo Bridge on the edge of the Zora's Domain. The winding paths had really taken their toll as she stretched out her legs, leaning back on her arms. ''Are we crossing the wetlands or going around?''

''I think it would be safer if we went around,'' Link said as he stood aside, keeping a watchful eye.

''Don't worry about me. I'd like to get there as soon as possible,'' she said and Link turned to look at her. ''The wetlands are flatter than the path around.''

Link let out a long sigh. ''Yes, but some of the bridges have collapsed. The repairs aren't finished,'' he said as Zelda looked up at the sky. She looked like the average traveller, enjoying the sun as she took a rest. Her blonde hair suited the sunlight, a brighter shade than his own.

''We'll be fine. My arms are okay to climb if I have to,'' she said as she looked at him, watching him turn to check the sound of a bird taking off nearby, just in case it was caused by something else. ''How far do you think we'll get today?''

Link looked up at the sun. ''If we're going via the wetlands, we'll camp in Goponga.''

''That little town on an island? Isn't that ruins?' She asked and Link nodded.

''Yes. But the bridge just after is very unstable so I'd rather us take it on tomorrow morning in the light,'' he explained. At least he'd given her a reason that wasn't her physical inability.

Zelda got up, beginning to walk slowly as Link trailed behind. He really wished she'd stop and rest for longer but he knew she was headstrong and would push through anything put in front of her. If she could last a hundred years with Ganon, she could last a couple of days walking on a recovering ankle.

He stayed a couple of steps behind, watching her carefully so he could stop her if it got too much worse. The limp was still very minor but had been gradually building. She found a stick beside the road, using it for stability as she walked, claiming she was fine to keep going now she had the small helping hand.

''Why are you in such a rush to get to Kakariko?'' Link asked and Zelda continued to walk. ''We can go slower.''

''I have too much to do in too little time,'' Zelda said as she tried to keep up her pace, getting more and more fatigued as she could see the sun getting lower. The trail had flattened significantly, now letting them pass more travellers than before. It was almost nicer when it was quiet. Nonetheless, the princess had asked each of them to examine the stone as they walked past and wrote down the results in her notebook, apologising for any time they may have lost in the short experiment.

Then there was no one for a while again. She walked along in silence for a few moments before she finally spoke to Link again, finally giving him a clear answer to his question. ''My coronation date has been set. It's in a month's time, if the castle is ready or not. If I want to get to Kakariko, Hateno, and the three springs in that time, we need to keep moving.''

Link followed, speeding up a little bit to get closer. ''Then can I suggest we pick up horses, Princess? They'll speed up our travels and make it easier on your injury.''

Zelda turned her head to look at him. ''Then if there are any available, we shall get them. I don't want to go out of our way,'' she said and Link sighed.

The look of determination on her face was what made him let her keep moving. Her fiery spirit kept her going despite the pain she was in, even as they approached the wetlands. ''Princess.''

Zelda stopped to look at him. ''Yes, Link?''

He already knew the answer before he spoke. ''We can stay on this side for the night if you'd rather take the bridges tomorrow with the light.''

Zelda shook her head. ''No, we must keep going. You said Goponga.''

Link went ahead, making her travel close enough behind he could grab her if the ground collapsed, but not so close that she'd be taken down with him if it fell from under his feet. She could swim and the fall wasn't far, but she was already tired and getting wet would only make the night feel colder.

He was extra cautious; this had been a monster settlement until recently, littered with lizalfos. The Zora had eventually forced them out after the calamity had ended but there were always a few left around. It seemed they were going to be safe but he could never be too sure with the princess around.

He saw a few in the distance, immediately dropping into a lower stance. ''Be as quiet as you can, Princess. We should be able to go past without them noticing us,'' he warned her and she nodded, trying to be quiet as well.

It was fine until one of the wooden planks collapsed, the splash catching the attention of two monsters swimming close by. Link pulled his bow from his back, pushing the princess behind him as he drew and fired. He'd killed one but the others were onto him and his strategy, weaving back and forth through the water. ''Stay here.''

He dived off, getting to a closer vantage point as they met him there, his sword ready to strike them down where they stood. He felt one swipe at his arm as he blocked the wooden weapon of the other, knocking it back just enough to plunge his sword straight through its chest. He pulled the sword back, spinning to slice across its neck, the other lizalfos trying to dodge.

He swung again and the last lizalfos fell, Link driving his sword through its head and into the ground below. Blood pooled on the ground and stained his blade as he looked at the other monster, just to be sure. He could see the inner arteries as the blood pumping out slowed, life leaving the monster by the second.

He looked up at the princess, checking she was alright as he sheathed the weapon, holding his arm from the blow. It had scraped across his chest and stung like a cut in salt water, but it wouldn't stop him. He made his way back as Zelda touched his shoulder, her hand glowing with the power of the goddess as she tried to ease the pain.

''Don't waste your energy, Princess. It's fine.''

Zelda stopped and looked at him. ''We're not going to make it back to the castle if you keep being reckless like that. I have seen you shoot those things from great distances but you went into their fighting ground where they had the advantage. If they had forced you into the water, you would have been killed,'' she lectured him, staring into his eyes. ''Now let me fix it. I can't do much as it seems I still haven't regained my full powers yet but there is still enough to close it over a little.''

He conceded just so they could move on before it got even darker instead of wasting the last bit of light they had arguing. They reached the ruins after a couple of other small bridges, Link placing his things down as he set off to gather some wood. It wasn't hard; there were trees surrounding them as he cut them down, preparing the wood to make a fire. Zelda sat on the ground, pulling a sleeping bag from the bottom as she began to roll it out a soft patch grass in between the hard stone that was once the floor of buildings. She looked at Link's things to prepare his bag and stopped. ''You don't have a sleeping bag.''

''No, I don't,'' he said and Zelda seemed confused.

''That is pretty basic survival equipment,'' she said and Link walked back to her, some rocks between his hands as he hoped he remembered how to use them right. It had been a long time since he hadn't had flint or other tools to start a fire with when he'd needed to.

''When I was told you'd left the Domain, I grabbed my weapons and left. All of my gear is still in my house,'' he explained and Zelda pursed her lips, guilt sinking in again. He hadn't even taken the time to grab his bag which was probably still mostly packed, trying to make up for lost time. She knew he had rushed to find her but had he even slept? It was little wonder he had been so tired when he found her again.

She felt the grass under her fingers, unzipping the bag as she laid it flat. ''The fire will keep us warm and it's not too cold. Lie on this to keep off the grass,'' she said as she sat down, placing her bag at the top so she could use it as a pillow.

''I'll be fine, Princess. I have done this many times,'' Link insisted as he felt somewhat pleased with himself, the fire starting as he blew into the embers to help it grow. He got up and leant against a large, sturdy tree, his sword in his hands as he began to close his eyes.

He opened one eye as Zelda got up, dragging the bag behind herself as she sat beside him. She flicked it out and pulled it over them, leaning on the tree herself. ''I'm not letting you get cold because I was stupid.''

''Lie down, Princess. It's better for your ankle.''

Zelda shook her head. ''No. It's fine, there's no weight on it,'' she insisted. She tucked the bag around herself, letting Link adjust it as he saw fit. She knew he wasn't going to get into a deep sleep anyway, too busy listening for any monsters or travels that walked by just in case. ''Good night, Link.''

''Good night, Princess,'' he said as he tucked in the blanked a little more between them to make sure she was comfortable. She slowly drifted off as Link rested his head back, closing his eyes. He could feel her slow droop, her body sliding until she was resting against him with her head on his shoulder. It was strangely comforting as he felt her breathing, warming him where their bodies connected. He wouldn't dare wake her, not when she'd finally stopped, letting her stay there all night and into the early hours of the next morning.

* * *

 _Lucky me, I got an internet connection to upload this today. Thank you again to all of you readers, I really appreciate you taking the time to follow or favourite this story. The reviews all make me smile when I read them, and I appreciate any feedback you may have. Until next time!_


	8. Chapter 8

Zelda woke up, opening her eyes as she stayed still, just absorbing her surroundings. The fire had gone out and a light mist sat on top of the water, just enough to make the grass damp and the air cold. She pulled on the sleeping bag a little more, leaning into the warmth beside herself, not realising it was a person rather than just the tree.

''Good morning,'' Link said and Zelda almost jumped, sitting back as she felt the cold air move between them. ''I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.''

Zelda could see how tired he was, most likely completely unrested. He would have kept awareness of their surroundings all night, listening to every unfamiliar sound just in case it was something more sinister. All of them meant nothing but the unfamiliarity meant he didn't have the same innate sense to realise what was fine and what wasn't, unlike when they stopped at some of the more common rest stops.

''I'm sorry, was I leaning on you all night?'' she asked and Link nodded. ''You should have pushed me off. Your arm will be sore.''

''No, it's fine, Princess,'' he insisted as he got up, pushing the sleeping bag back so she could curl up more in it's warmth. It was particularly warm around where he'd been, Zelda subtly curling into it as she tried to remove the feeling of cold on her face. ''I'll get us something to eat. Once we're ready, we'll keep moving. We're not far from the village, the terrain is just less forgiving with some hills and slopes to cross over so we'll want to take our time.''

Zelda nodded as she watched him remove most of his clothes, grabbing his sword as he went toward the water. ''You'll freeze.''

''It will be worse if I get my clothes wet, Princess. I'll just be a few minutes.''

She watched as he made his way into the water, his sword raised to catch any fish that would get close to him. She pulled the sleeping bag up around her cheeks, breathing into it to try and warm it up. She'd travelled with him through even colder climates — the snow on Lanayru mountain for starters — but it still made her cheeks and nose tingle as warmth slowly came back to them.

She could smell him. It was a scent she was well acquainted with but had never particularly taken notice of. It smelled like the outdoors — like grass and fresh air — and the smell of his general sweat. It wasn't like the smell of bad body odours but rather a smell that reminded her of working hard for long periods of time, creating a slow build up instead of the overpowering one. There was also a general smell of wood and metal, probably from his weapons and tools. It was an interesting combination that certainly wasn't displeasing as she kept it wrapped around the lower part of her face, watching its owner spear a couple of fish and turn to smile at her, making sure she knew he was coming back.

''That didn't take too long. The water is quiet this morning so the fish were trying to eat the algae along the edge,'' he said, barely wet at all. He saw her huddled up in her blanket of sorts, smiling at her as she looked like a child who didn't want to get out of bed. He could see her eyebrows form into a frown as he stopped, quickly turning back to the fire to try and get the food started. She probably thought he was making fun of her.

He got up and found some appropriate sticks, stripping them of any extra foliage to use as stakes. He leant them over the fire, letting the fish cook while he put his clothes back on again. It felt much better to be dressed, sitting by the fire as he warmed his hands and waited patiently.

Zelda got closer, the sleeping bag still wrapped around herself as she sat down again. ''This feels worse than the snow.''

Link laughed a little. ''We dress more appropriately for the snow,'' he remarked and Zelda looked at their clothing. It wasn't that inappropriate.

''This is fine,'' she said and Link looked at her.

''For the daytime in the sun. It always gets colder near water, especially near dawn,'' he said and the princess nodded. She did know that; it had just been a very long time since they'd travelled with minimal supplies.

The food cooked through after a little while, Link pulling the stakes from the ground. Zelda grabbed her bag as she pulled out some cutlery that was in there, gently prying the food apart as not to eat any of the bones. She looked up at Link who had just bitten a large chunk out of it, taking almost the polar opposite approach. ''No one believes you work for royalty when you eat like that,'' she said and Link looked at her, his teeth already ripping into the next bit.

''I spend most of my time in the wild, Princess. This is how I eat at home,'' he said and Zelda smiled.

''I know, Purah told me. There are shops in Hateno, you know. They sell food that you can eat without tearing it apart like an animal,'' she said and Link wiped his mouth. He began to try and pry meet off with his fingers, hoping it would be at least a little more to her liking. She laughed and he felt confused. ''I didn't mean while you're here. I meant when you've got access to things to make it easier. Have you ever used your oven?''

Link thought about it for a moment. He wasn't even sure he knew how to turn it on. Some days he forgot how his stove worked and just used the cooking pot over the fire outside instead. ''I don't think so,'' he said and the Princess shook her head.

''One of the cooks taught me how to make a nice baked fish recipe using tin foil and some peppers. He was always so kind to me, teaching me things so I'd always have something nice to eat on my travels,'' she said as she had that bittersweet expression on her face again. It was a lovely memory but the man was long dead now, fallen in Ganon's take over of the castle.

Link looked at the meat that was just plain, left to be steamed over the warm fire. ''I can try cooking something nicer, Princess. I just wanted to do something quickly so we could get moving.''

''No, no, this is fine,'' she insisted. ''I just worry about you at home.''

Link took another bite of his food, pulling out a couple of the bones as he chewed. He swallowed it and spoke again. ''Luckily for both of us, I'm not home very often.''

''Don't you want to be?'' she asked. They were back to this topic. He thought he'd gotten it out of her head but clearly it was still on her mind.

''Don't you?'' he asked, posing the same question where he knew he would get a very similar answer. Zelda hesitated. She wasn't excited to go home either, though hers was avoidance and his was just boredom. ''There is nothing for me there. It is nice to stop now and then but I fought my way into the royal army for a reason, Princess. If I didn't want to be here right now, I wouldn't have worked so hard to do it.''

She was quiet for a few moments, thinking as she watched the flames. ''I do want to go back to the castle. It's just… it's not the same. It feels empty and broken,'' she explained and Link listened. She toyed with the food, pulling it apart some more as she thought a little longer. ''It is hard to be somewhere where all I ever see is the ghosts of people that died because I didn't awaken my powers fast enough to save them. I walk into my father's study and I-''

She couldn't even say it. It had been too horrible, the man skewered on his coat rack, head dangling at an unnatural angle with blood pouring down his clothes. It dripped from him at a steady pace like a leaking faucet, pooling around his feet that barely touched the floor. She had covered her mouth at the time, holding back the urge to scream as she rushed forward, hoping for any signs of life. He'd been long dead, his own sword through his gut and skin cold to touch. He'd most likely been in there retrieving the family weapons, struck down before he could escape to clearer ground.

''Princess?''

Zelda snapped out of the memory, looking at the man beside her. He certainly wasn't the annoy boy that followed her around anymore, like a dog that had mistaken the scraps she'd left aside for it as an invitation to follow. He watched her carefully as she got up, handing over her left overs. ''I've had enough. Would you like the rest?''

''I'm sorry, did I say something-''

Zelda shook her head. ''No, it's alright. It was very nice,'' she said as she insisted he take it, watching him pick off some of the leftover meat as he began to get up himself. He put the fire out and gathered the very little he had, watching Zelda roll up her sleeping bag and put it away.

He could see she was still upset. ''Princess-''

She looked at him, right into his blue eyes. She could see his concern going right down into his soul, longing to take the pain away from her. Why did he care about her so personally? That wasn't his job. ''Link, can you tell me something?''

''Of course, what is it?'' he said as she continued to stare back at him, leaving herself vulnerable. He could see all the hurt and pain she'd been trying to hold in, the reason why she'd been so impatient and stubborn in her aim to prove she was capable of something she really wasn't ready to do. There was no doubt in his mind that she could do it, the only question was when would she be emotionally ready to take on the task.

She could feel the hesitation in her breath, hoping he couldn't feel it too. ''Do you think of me as your job or your friend?'' she asked and Link had to think about his answer.

''Can I think you are both?'' he asked and Zelda gave him a confused look. ''Protecting you is my job but I make sure you're happy because you're my friend. I thought we'd gotten to that point it was okay to think we were.''

She acknowledged his point. ''I think we are too,'' she said and Link relaxed his shoulders a little. He was worried she'd say something else. She looked away, finally breaking her gaze as she felt awkward. ''I would almost consider you my best friend, Link. There's no one else I trust like you.''

He felt a bit of a flush on his cheeks. ''I think the same, Princess. You know I don't like to talk in case I say the wrong thing. I do more with you because you understand me.''

She looked at him, still looking awkward and nervous. ''And you… you don't want to be king.''

Link almost froze. Was she asking what he thought she was asking? ''I'm sorry?''

Zelda held her hands, trying to think of the best way to explain her thoughts. ''I do need to find someone to help me. I can do it on my own but it make sense to have someone there for support.''

''You have my support either way, Princess.''

Zelda nodded. She knew that but it wasn't the same. ''The leaders around the world all like you. You're respected everywhere you go,'' she said and Link was still uncertain. This wasn't just a small favour she was asking. ''I think we are close enough that we could be mature about things. Unless something changed before then and someone else came between us, be it for you or myself, we'd need to…y'know. Just to have kids. You don't need to worry about anything else-''

''Please slow down,'' Link said as he tried to absorb what she was saying, trying to convince himself he must have been misinterpreting her words. ''Princess, I think you're rushing this decision. You have no feelings for me and it will be worse trying to split in the public eye when you find the right person for you than if you wait.''

Zelda hesitated, looking into his eyes. She wasn't sure how she felt about him. She certainly regarded him as at least her closest friend, possibly sometimes more. There was no one else she could imagine herself comfortably leaning on, and the only one she would let hold her when she was upset. What did she really feel? She'd never given herself the time to think about it.

She could think of one way she'd know. She gripped her hand into a fist. This was entirely inappropriate. He didn't return her feelings or he wouldn't be pushing her away. He could see her hesitation, unsure of what to say or do. ''Princess?''

She hated being stuck in her head. She just had to move. That's all she had to do and she couldn't. She lifted her hand as Link was staring at her, trying to work out what she was thinking. Her hand rested on his face, Link stopping still as he waited to see what she was going to do. The action was almost unmistakeable.

''I can't-'' she said, finally stepping back as she looked at him. ''I'm sorry. That was so inappropriate. I'm very, very sorry. I won't do it again. I shouldn't have even shout about it.''

Link was still trying to work out what had just happened. He spoke without even thinking about it. ''You can do whatever you want, Princess.''

Zelda had to stop herself from thinking, just forcing herself to do it as fast as possible when he'd just given her verbal permission. Her lips made contact with his as he stood perfectly still for a couple of seconds, waiting until she pulled back. His eyes were open wide, looking at her as if he was stunned. ''I'm sorry-''

''Give me a second,'' he said as he tried to let it sink in. He looked at her lick her bottom lip as she waited to see how he was going to react anxiously. The simple, minuscule motion was enough that he worked out what he wanted to do, putting a hand on her arm to bring her close again, actually kissing her back this time.

She relaxed into it after a couple of seconds, letting him bite her lip and kiss her more intensely. She had no idea what she was doing but he had taken over, her arms nervously holding his shoulders. She could feel like a tingle in her body, her mind almost drawing blank. Her body just didn't know how to react, instead just giving in and letting him do what he pleased.

He pulled back after a second, scared to meet her eyes. His brain had finally caught up, regret setting in as he saw the look of uncertainty in her facial expressions and body language. He got down on one knee, his head down low as he got into a proper bow, arm across his leg with his fist to the floor and everything. It was a picture of perfection in terms of his stance as he began to apologise. ''I'm sorry, Princess. I shouldn't-''

''I started it,'' she said as she looked down at him, his eyes looking up to finally meet hers again. ''I- I don't know what to think.''

Link waited, ignoring the uncomfortable angle of his neck as he hoped she'd come up with a better answer soon. She was still lost for words. ''Can I ask one question, Princess?'' She nodded just a little, barely moving her head but he could see it. ''Was that just you wanting to know what it's like, or was it something else?''

She still couldn't really give him an answer, which meant it was probably a bit of both. He slowly got up, looking into her eyes to see if he could work out her feelings for her. ''Link, I-''

''Don't force yourself, Princess,'' he said as he failed to see anything clear. ''We should get moving. You can think about it and tell me when you've decided.''

''Okay,'' she said and Link picked up the bag at her feet, pulling it over his shoulder again before he began to walk. There was silence bar the water and birds, Link resuming the same position as the day before as he tested each panel on the bridges, making sure they were secure before the princess stood on them. ''Link.''

''Yes, Princess?''

''How do you feel toward me?'' she asked, the loaded question almost making him stop. But he kept moving, taking slow steps as he made his way across to the other side of the bridge. The planks did look relatively new, so somebody had been past to try and fix them somewhat recently.

He didn't look at her as he spoke. ''I find you very admirable. You're strong and beautiful. You take adversity and face it, getting up every time it knocks you down. But you don't let it make you hard like me. There's something about it that makes you seem even more… vulnerable without being weak. You fought Ganon for over a hundred years on your own, dealing with all of the dark things he did. You've come out and have adapted to the world better than anyone could have expected. If I had half of your will power, I would be a much better man,'' he said, speaking from the heart as he kept going. It was hard to express those deep, innate feelings that he had, the ones he shoved down to prevent reckless or inappropriate actions or words. Robbie had expressed it quite well when he'd been to visit him in the Akkala research lab during his travels for Purah; he was a man who was wound up so tight that he seemed impenetrable, but one correct cut could make it all unravel. In the mean time, they all had to slowly unwrap him, trying to get a glimpse of what he really thought under his hidden exterior.

''That's what you think. How do you feel?'' she replied. He looked at her, trying to form words. She could see the look in his eye, enough that she could tell what he was thinking. ''It seems we have the same difficulties expressing it.''

Link stopped, his hand catching her arm as he tried to work out if he'd interpreted her correctly. ''What are you saying?''

Zelda looked like she was going to kiss him again, leaning in slowly to place a gentle kiss on his cheek instead. ''I still don't know. But I know there's something there and I wish I could hurry up and work it out,'' she said as she looked back at him. ''If you are okay with that. It could just be the familiarity. We are very close and you are all I have left of my past, Link. I can't tell if it's just a side effect of what happened or whether there's something else there.''

Link nodded. ''Okay.''

He let go and Zelda slowly wrapped her arm around his, something between comfort and support. It was easily interpreted as him helping her walk, particularly as her ankle still was sore from the day before. She had her other hand on his shoulder to steady herself, which helped hide the secondary intentions to any passers by.

''I think we should camp again tonight. I don't think my ankle will make it to Kakariko over those hills and slopes,'' she finally admitted. Link nodded. She could have anything she wanted and he would do it; she only had to say the word.

* * *

 _I've finally decided to change the genre of this fic to hurt/comfort and romance after this chapter. It's become a bit more prominent than I'd originally intended but I like it. Hopefully it's not overshadowing the rest of the story but I think it's important enough now it should be reclassified. Let me know what you think of how things are going, I love hearing feedback. It all helps me to improve this story for all of you. Thanks so much for reading and all of your support so far!_


	9. Chapter 9

Zelda woke up to Link starting the campfire again, trying to get some extra warmth into the air. He turned at the sound of her moving, looking in her direction. ''I didn't mean to wake you,'' he said and the princess shook her head. The sun was barely on the horizon, still dark as she looked around. ''We should reach Kakariko by around lunchtime if we take it slow,'' he said as she got up, the sleeping bag still around her shoulders.

She sat down closer, her eyes still closing over as she tried to get warmer. ''Why are you awake?'' she asked as she rubbed her eyes, covering her mouth as she struggled to hold back a yawn.

Link shrugged. ''Someone walked along the path. It was just a traveller but I had to check when I heard footsteps,'' he explained as he walked over to sit beside her. There was a good distance, just like there had been the whole night before after the events of the previous day. ''Go back to sleep, Princess.''

Zelda looked at him, noticing how cold he looked. He was shivering and all. ''Sit next to me,'' she said and Link hesitated. ''You're cold.''

''I'll be fine, Princess,'' he insisted and Zelda got up, wrapping one side of the sleeping bag around him as she got in close.

He didn't dare speak, letting her lean on his shoulder again as she curled up, ready to fall asleep. He made sure she was tucked in, watching the flames as she slept for another hour or so. Instead of sleeping himself, he watched the sunrise, listening to the birds as they began to wake. There were some deer that got close, Link pulling an arrow from his quiver to spook them from the pile of food he'd gathered the night before.

Zelda woke up as everything started to get brighter, sitting up as she rubbed her eyes again. Link got up and made his way over to the food, picking it up as he tried to work out what he could do with it to make it nicer. It was just fruit and vegetables he'd scavenged from along the path, which meant they could eat it raw if they were in a hurry but after her stories of home he really wanted to do something different. It was a shame he never spent any time with the chef.

He grabbed one of his arrows, using it to cut the fruit and vegetables into slices, skewering them to cook on top of the fire. It was something a little bit nicer until he could get more tools; even just his pot would be a great help. At least it was something as he brought a couple of skewers over to the princess, letting her take them before he did his own.

It was still fairly plain but she seemed to appreciate the change. She got up and packed up her bag as Link finished off his food, making sure she was ready to go. ''Is it still steep?''

Link looked at her. ''Yeah.''

She sat down again beside him, resting her hand on her ankle. There was a slight glow as Link watched her, cautious of what she was doing. Using her powers always tired her out, but using them on herself always seemed be worse. He wasn't sure whether it was because her body was already trying to deal with the injury or something else but she tried to avoid it when she could. She'd done a little before she'd gone to sleep the night before but it obviously wasn't enough with the ongoing toll of their travels.

She stopped after only a minute or so, massaging it a little as she got up. ''That should be enough,'' she said as she looked at him. ''We should get going before I get tired again.''

Link was almost walking backwards down some of the slopes, letting the princess hold onto his arms for support. ''Do you want me to carry you, Princess?''

Zelda shook her head. ''No. Let's just keep moving.''

They got over the last of the mountains, walking into Kakariko village as Link watched her limp getting worse. He could see the look on her face as they stood at the bottom of Impa's stairs, hesitation as she held the railing to help herself up.

''Ah, Princess. Welcome,'' Impa said as Link held the door open, letting Zelda through before he walked in himself. Link grabbed the stool from near the door despite the look that she gave him, placing it down so Zelda could sit while they spoke.

Zelda sat down hesitantly, pulling the pendant from around her neck. ''Perhaps you know something about this, Lady Impa.''

Impa looked curiously as Zelda stood up, handing it over to her. She examined it closely, trying to work out what she was looking at. ''What am I meant to see?'' she asked and Zelda sat down again, taking out her notebook.

''Can you tell me what you see first? I'm worried if I tell you what it's meant to be it may influence your answers,'' she said and Impa nodded, examining it closely again.

The elderly woman looked confused. ''I see people. The people of the village all looking happy.''

Zelda kept a straight face, writing it down in her book. ''It's a pendant that is meant to show you the future that you want.''

Impa looked a whole lot less concerned, a slight smile appearing on her face. ''I see,'' she said as she looked at Zelda's face. ''What do you see?''

Zelda looked at her notes. ''Nothing. It's too blurry to see. I've yet to meet anyone yet with the same problem.''

Impa's smile faded a little. ''I'm sure there's some sort of simple explanation.''

Zelda turned to Link. ''If you have anything you want to do while we're in the village, you can go. We'll need to leave for Hateno tomorrow morning.''

Link nodded. ''I'll see if I can find some horses.''

He got back late, needing to venture out to the nearest stables to find some he could take with him. Zelda was already inside her room at the inn, her eyes closing over as she held her hand over her ankle. It was barely glowing as she seemed to be falling asleep.

''Princess?'' he said and Zelda barely looked up at him. She looked like she was about to pass out at any time, her body pushed to exhaustion. ''Let me help you go to bed.''

He tried to help her up, picking her up when he realised she was too tired to walk. She immediately curled up against him as he carried her to the bed, holding on around his shoulders. He put her down on the bed, pulling back the covers and shuffling her around. Her hands were still wrapped around his neck which made it more difficult as he pulled the covers over her, trying to pry her off gently.

''Link?'' Zelda said as she looked groggy, rubbing her eyes.

''You were falling asleep while healing yourself, Princess,'' he said as he stepped back. ''I retrieved some horses so you don't have to walk on your ankle tomorrow.''

She nodded as she rested her head back on the pillow. ''I've used up all my strength but I think it is good enough,'' she said and Link hated the fact he disagreed. It took all of his self-control to be silent when all he wanted to do was tell her to go home to the castle and rest for a while. They could travel again after the coronation if she was that determined to go and see the springs; they weren't places people wouldn't understand her connection to and protest.

''Good night, Princess,'' he said and she didn't even have the energy to reply to him, almost immediately falling asleep.

Zelda emerged late into the next morning, Link preparing the horses for the travel ahead. The distance between the villages wasn't very far, particularly by horseback, so they'd be back in Hateno village before the night fell if they left sooner rather than later.

''Good morning,'' she said as she rubbed her eyes, still looking exhausted from using her powers. ''I think I might have overdone it last night. I still feel weak.''

Link turned to face her, holding the reins of the horse in front of himself. He could only borrow one set of horse riding gear so he was going to have to ride bareback, though that didn't phase him; he would have walked beside the princess' horse if he needed to. ''We can stay another night, Princess.''

Zelda shook her head. ''Impa and I spoke about everything we needed to yesterday. There wasn't too much to report since last time,'' she said as she fixed her bag on her back, walking over to the horse she safely assumed was hers. ''She understands we're in a hurry.''

Link's head turned as he heard running, looking at little Cottla coming toward them. ''Wait! Princess!'' she yelled out and Zelda stopped, turning to look at the small child as well. ''Paya has something from Lady Impa for you.''

Link could see Paya in the distance, carefully holding something as she tried to walk in a hurry. She still barely met his eyes, nervous as she got closer. ''I'm sorry to keep you waiting,'' she said as she held out a couple of coats to the princess. ''Grandmother found these and thought they should be returned to you. We can continue to store them until we visit for your coronation if it's more convenient, Princess.''

Zelda took the one on top, holding it out to get another look. ''Oh, the royal crest. She must have had these for years,'' she said as she examined it more closely. She held it tight between her fingers as she went quiet, an upset look across her face.

Link took the other, Paya nervously handing it over as he got a closer look. It wasn't just the royal crest; these were the old cloaks that used to be worn by the king and queen. They'd since been replaced — though there was a good chance the newer versions had been destroyed in the calamity — but it was a piece of royal history that he remembered from when he was just a young boy alongside his father.

Zelda snapped out of her gaze, holding it for Paya to take back. ''I can't take this yet. This is for the Queen of Hyrule,'' she said as Link carefully handed the other back. ''I will be very soon so I will take it then, but until then we don't want to be carrying these in case they get damaged. If you cannot bring it with you to the coronation, I will send someone to pick them up. Please do not strain yourselves to bring them.''

Paya nodded. ''Tha-that's okay, Princess. I will let Grandmother know.''

Link watched Zelda's expression as they got on the back of the horses, starting to move off in the direction of the other village. They weren't in a particular hurry, moving off at a comfortable pace. Zelda had still been quiet, the simple coat reminding her of the great responsibilities she would soon have. ''Princess-''

''I think I may have to look at them again when they arrive. I'd like to change it a little to reflect the loss and rebuild of the kingdom,'' she said, trying to move away from the more obvious problem. She wasn't just trying to replace the coats; she was trying to avoid them.

Link held onto the horse's mane, slowing down as he reached over to grab the reigns in Zelda's hands. He brought both animals to a stop. ''You can't keep running away from it, Princess.''

''I'm not running away, I just have a lot to do first. I can't neglect the other commitments I have made. Once they're done, I will be ready,'' she replied, snatching the reigns back.

''You did not commit to anyone but yourself that you'd go and see the springs,'' Link retorted and Zelda looked ahead, making her horse move with more speed than before. Link was quick to catch up, getting his horse in close so she could hear him. ''I don't care if you don't want to be queen. I want you to stop hurting yourself by trying to force yourself to try and want it.''

Zelda turned her head to look at him, pulling back with enough force that the horse almost threw her off. Link turned, stopping in front of her so she couldn't easily take off again. ''I'm scared. But courage is facing the things you fear and the kingdom needs me to step up to my responsibilities. I can't avoid it so I need to learn how to deal with my fears. I appreciate your concern but I have to push through it this time.''

Link sidestepped, letting her through. She took off again, Link turning his horse around to follow. She only slowed down as they got close to the village, Link pulling up close. She saw her looking around, trying to make herself more familiar with her surroundings. ''The inn is this way, Princess,'' he said and she shook her head.

''We should let you go home first and drop off your things,'' she said and Link nodded. It probably wasn't a bad idea; she could always leave her travel gear with him and let her only take what she needed to the inn. It would save some of the weight she was carrying.

He moved ahead to lead the way, the princess following close behind. He got off of his horse as he got down to the grass, grabbing some of the spare horse equipment he had sitting in the small stables he had. His horse was at the castle but he had a spare halter, fastening the horse so it couldn't escape. He helped Zelda off of hers, doing the same.

Zelda was watching carefully, examining the outside of his house. ''You need to spend some time cleaning your yard,'' she said and Link shrugged. If he could convince her to stay still for a few days, particularly now they could travel faster, he might have thought about doing some home maintenance.

He walked toward his front door, the princess hesitating as she followed him. He realised as he opened it that she'd never been inside, watching her examine the outside carefully. He knew it didn't look like anything special, but it was home. That was all he needed it to be.

He held the door open for her, inviting her inside. ''It's not much,'' he said and Zelda shook her head, stepping inside. ''I only have the necessities.''

''It looks like you have barely that,'' she said as she walked in, first noticing that the place felt empty. Sure, there was a table and kitchen of sorts, a few weapon holders on the walls and a bed in the upstairs area, but that was it.

He picked up the bag that had been left aside the week or so beforehand, putting it on his table to start pulling things out. ''If you leave your gear here, I will make sure it's ready to keep going.''

Zelda put her bag aside and walked up the stairs, still bewildered by just how little he had. ''Does this feel homely to you?''

Link let out her sleeping bag, pulling out his own to hang outside to air. ''It's home enough.''

She looked at his bed, not even made from the haste he'd left in, clothes aside on the floor in an untidy pile. ''There's no pictures, no trinkets, nothing that isn't useful to you.''

''I'm not that big of a collector, Princess. I only take what I need,'' he explained as he stepped just outside of his front door, fastening the sleeping bags to one of the rails so they wouldn't fly away as they flapped in the breeze.

Zelda made her way down, looking at the dishes in his sink. There was the cooking pot aside and a plate, but that was all. She opened his fridge and there was nothing in there at all. ''Link,'' she called out, listening for the 'hm' to return from outside before she continued. ''Perhaps I should stay here. Help you take some time to fix your home. You wanted me to wait a few days before we travelled on, didn't you?''

Link stepped back in the door, looking at her with a frown on his face. ''The inn would be more comfortable-''

''The bed may be but those rooms are always small. I can't remember the last time I felt like I was staying in a home rather than just a room. Even the castle isn't rebuilt enough to feel like more than just a place to sleep yet,'' she explained, still trying to take in the almost nothingness that was his home.

Link walked up the stairs, pulling his covers off of the bed before opening his cupboard, pulling out the spare set. ''I'll make sure the bed is ready for you.''

''It's your bed-''

''I can sleep on the floor,'' he said in quick response. He knew she was going to argue with him about it. ''If you won't take my bed then I'll have to ask you stay at the inn. You're not sleeping on my floor, Princess.''

She hesitated as he put on the new covers, pulling out what looked like an old, worn futon from the bottom of the cupboard. It seemed unusual that he'd have a spare spot to sleep. ''Do you regularly have guests?'' she asked and Link shook his head.

''This was mine before I bought the bed,'' he explained. ''I kept it to take with me to the castle once it is ready. Then I will buy a bed there. Maybe sell this place and buy a house closer to you so I won't be so far away.''

Zelda sat quietly on the end of his bed as she watched him carry it down the stairs on his shoulder, setting it up on the floor in the corner so she'd have some space to herself. He finished setting it up and went back to pulling out the camping equipment, putting the dishes in the sink and refilling some of the other stocks like flint and bandages from his cupboards.

''If you follow the path through the town and up the hill, you'll find the tech lab. Purah and Symin will be there. I can meet you there later,'' he suggested and Zelda took a second to realise he was actually letting her out on her own. It was in his home town where he knew everyone and everything around, but it was still some freedom.

She had to take the opportunity while she had it. ''If I haven't seen you by dinner time, I'll assume you've been caught up with things here?'' she said and Link nodded.

He let her go out on her own for the afternoon; he needed to prepare for her stay. He wandered down into the town, visiting the stores to collect the things he needed. He stood in one of the local stores, examining the cooking equipment on the wall as he tried to work out what in all of Hyrule they could possibly be useful for.

''Hello, Link. I thought you'd be with the princess helping her prepare for the coronation,'' an elderly woman said, walking up behind him with a smile on her face. She'd always been nice to him.

Link nodded. ''She's at the research lab on the hill,'' he explained and the woman looked a little surprised. Normally he would be by her side. ''We're staying here for a couple of days to rest before we move on.''

''I see. It's nice to hear you're not just rushing around,'' she said as she looked at the things he had in his hand. ''Did you need some help?''

Link sighed. ''The princess mentioned she was getting tired of my usual cooking,'' he said and the woman took the tools out of his hands, putting them down.

''So you want to learn how to cook something different while you're travelling,'' she said and Link nodded. She took him to a different section and picked up a set with a couple pots, pans and other tools. It was relatively compact so it wouldn't impact too much on their travels. ''This is small and should help. It won't weigh you down and you can use it on your stove at home too.''

She went and fetched a recipe book she had, bringing it back as she explained some of the terms he wasn't familiar with. It was full of old camping recipes from her husband so they should have been easy enough. She handed him some other smaller supplies like baking paper and foil just in case. He made his way back to the house past the food supplies store to buy the food he needed for one of the ones she said was particularly easy.

He'd never followed a recipe before, which made for an interesting experience. It seemed to turn out okay as he heard the front door opened, Zelda inviting herself in. ''What are you cooking?''

Link had to pick up the recipe book. ''Something with lamb, I guess,'' he said as he tried to find the title.

Zelda took the book from his hands, flicking through it. ''This doesn't seem like something you'd own,'' she said as she was very intrigued.

Link nodded as he found some plates, getting ready to serve. ''You said you wanted something other than just meat or vegetables on their own. So I went and bought things. The lady lent the book to me.''

Zelda closed the book, holding it close to her chest. ''You don't have to learn to cook for me. I have a chef when we get back to the castle. Well, I will. We haven't hired one yet but it's not part of your duties to cook anything for me that's more than just to prevent me from starving,'' she said as she even noticed he'd set the table out for them both.

Link used the spoon in his hands to pile some of the rice and vegetables from the casserole down first, putting a few pieces of meat over the top. He probably should have cut them up a bit smaller but he didn't really know. He'd given it a little extra time to cook to compensate, which was why it wasn't already on the table for her and waiting when she'd walked in. ''I should learn to feed myself better food too, if that makes you feel better.''

It did help a little. She took her plate and put it on the table, opening each of his cupboards — which were mostly empty — to find some cups. She put them on the table as she sat down, Link getting into his own seat. She took a mouthful and smiled, pleasantly surprised by what he'd been able to do. ''This is really nice, Link.''

Link was pleased, eating more of his own. It was almost strange to be eating something with so much flavour. However, the feeling didn't last too long as they slipped into another awkward silence. There'd been a large number of them since they'd kissed and neither knew how to fix it.

Zelda got up, carrying her plate to the sink as she turned on the taps. Link quickly got up, pulling away her hands. ''Princess, you don't need to do the dishes, I will do them when I'm finished.''

''You are showing me great hospitality. I may be the princess but that does not mean you need to do everything for me. I can clean just as well as anyone else can,'' she said as she dipped her hands in the water again.

''I don't think you can't but you shouldn't.''

''Shouldn't? Why shouldn't I? Isn't it rude to not show your gratitude?''

''It is rude to make your guests clean up,'' Link retorted.

''I imposed myself on you,'' Zelda said as she turned to face him, hands on her hips. ''You cooked something special for me and ran around today collecting things while I got to do something for my own benefit, I want to say thank you.''

Link sighed. ''Just your enjoyment and happiness is thank you enough, Princess.''

''Sometimes you infuriate me, Link. Why won't you listen to me?'' she asked, staring into his eyes again for the first time since they'd kissed, both filled with looks of uncertainty.

''Trust me, Princess; the feeling is mutual,'' he said as he stared back.

''When will you see we are equals?'' she retorted and Link let out another annoyed sigh.

''When will you work out that we are not, Princess? I die, people get upset but after a little while, they won't give a damn. I will be replaced. You die and the entire world stops. All of Hyrule will stop and mourn. They will find whoever is to blame and make sure they suffer a pain worse than death because we are not the same. You are the princess, soon to be the queen. My life means nothing. Yours means everything.''

Zelda stopped, seeing how much pain was in his eyes. She took a second to breathe, trying to calm herself down. ''Impa told me they're doing a poll. As there will not be a suitable heir capable of taking control of Hyrule should something happen to me for at least eight years even if I was already pregnant, they want a backup plan. They want to decide on who will act as the heir until there is a real one. I am just as replaceable as you are.''

Link could see the mixture of feelings that she had, relief and disappointment. It may have removed a lot of her pressures but it left her with many others. ''Don't you get a say?''

Zelda nodded. ''They'll let me have the final say. Once they have the favoured candidate, they'll ask me if I have any reasons to object. If I don't or they are insufficient, then that's it. They will be the king or queen from the point of my death until there is an heir of the appropriate age, if one exists at all.''

''So you don't. Not really,'' he replied and Zelda nodded.

''But you do. You'll be asked to vote when we get back to the castle. The rest of the votes will be in by then. As soon as yours is in, they'll count them and let me know,'' she said as she looked back in his eyes. ''I know who they're all going to vote for. I've seen the list and I know how they all think. I'm not worried about who they're going to choose; it's the only logical answer. I don't know who you will but it doesn't matter, it's going to be unanimous from everybody else.''

She broke away, moving up the stairs. Link followed, noticing her strange mood. ''Can I help you, Princess?'' he asked and she shook her head.

''No, it's just- never mind. I'm very tired, I think I want to go to bed,'' she said as she grabbed her bag, pulling out her nightgown. She ran down the stairs and into his bathroom to get changed, emerging again as the knight finished washing the dishes, placing them aside to dry overnight. ''Good night, Link.''

''Good night, Princess,'' he said, watching her go up the stairs again. He tried to be quiet as he finished fixing several other things, ready to leave with a moment's notice should the princess request it.

He could hear her breathing, aware she wasn't asleep. He slowly walked up the stairs, trying to remain as quiet as possible. He sat down on the floor beside the bed, resting his head against the wall. He saw her open her eye gently to see what he was doing, watching him close his eyes instead. ''You have a bed,'' she said and Link took a deep breath.

''Please talk to me,'' he said as he kept his eyes closed. ''You always tell me what you're thinking. You're only quiet when you're upset. I won't talk back if that's better, Princess.''

She sat up a little, pulling the pillow into her lap as she tried to think of the words to describe her thoughts and feelings. ''I'm just nervous and scared,'' she said as she held the pillow. ''That's all it is.''

Link nodded. ''I know.''

''Then why do you keep asking?'' she asked and Link opened his eyes.

He looked at her carefully. ''In case you want to explain what is making you nervous and scared.''

Zelda withheld the urge to roll her eyes. She'd told him this too. ''Becoming queen. I'm scared of becoming the queen.''

''Why? What about it scares you?'' he asked and Zelda had to think. There was the obvious he knew - what if she fucked it up completely - but she'd never given serious thought to the finer details.

''What if I'm a bad queen? What if I don't ever get the leave the castle? What if I never get married, have an heir? What if I do? Will I mess that up too? What if everyone hates me? What if I lose you? What happens when you leave me? You have a home you never get to see, somewhere perfect to live and have a family or do whatever you want to,'' she said as she felt tears building up in her eyes. ''I want you to be happy and have your own life, but I don't want you to go.''

Link got up, sitting beside her on the bed. She put her arms around him, holding him tight. At least it wasn't desperate, hopeless sobs but the idea of her crying never made him comfortable. He hesitated, slowly wrapping his arms around her to comfort her. ''I won't if you tell me not to.''

Zelda shook her head, sitting up and looking into his eyes. He couldn't help himself, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She held his hand on her cheek, trying to compose herself again. ''I can't ask you to do that. I can't ask for you to forsake your life to work for me your entire life because I'm selfish.''

''Then don't ask me to work for you. That doesn't mean you can't ask me to stay,'' he replied.

She looked confused for a few moments before it sunk in. That sad look in his eyes when he saw her like this wasn't just disappointment he hadn't pleased her as her knight, but he was feeling her pain. Every time she hurt, he did too. Not just a sympathetic hurt but a deeply emotional one, buried inside his heart. Just like she felt every time she thought she was taking his life away.

She leaned in to kiss him again, the knight less surprised this time. Link kissed her back gently, letting her rest in his arms. She pulled back after a few moments, looking into his eyes again. She hesitated, her voice quiet as she asked the question that would either fill her with joy or break her heart into a thousand shattered pieces. ''Link, do you love me?''

His voice was just as quiet, looking at her lips as he didn't have to think. It didn't stop his second of hesitation, anxious to hear her response. ''Yeah.''

He looked up at her eyes, scared to see her expression. She was looking deep into his eyes again, just in case he was lying to make her happy. She could see the fear in his eyes, the raw emotion he'd just let out. It was a face she wasn't sure she'd ever get used to from her always shielded knight. He wasn't lying.

She took his hand from his face, holding it tight in her own. ''Please don't leave me.''

''You have my word, Princess,'' he replied and she kissed him again. They broke apart after a minute or two, smiles beginning to creep up on their faces. ''I think you might need a new knight, Princess. This one has a serious conflict of interest.''

''I'll have to pick a new one once said knight trains up the new royal guard. Until then there are no other suitable candidates,'' she said, picking up on the joke. ''He better do it soon or there won't be anyone to protect the king either.''

His smile almost immediately dropped. ''One step at a time,'' he said and Zelda's smile disappeared too. ''I have to get used to the idea of not being your knight first. Let's get to the part about ruling the kingdom after we're sure I'm the one you want ruling it with you.''

Zelda could understand his hesitation; it had always been her destiny to take the crown someday and she was nervous. She squeezed his hand. ''We need to work it out soon.''

''Before your coronation?'' he asked, genuinely concerned she was trying to rush this decision too. Zelda took a moment to think but not long enough that he felt comfortable she'd really considered the commitment she was getting into.

''That would be nice. But if it takes longer, that's okay too,'' she said and Link nodded. It was better than he'd expected. He got up and Zelda looked disappointed. ''You don't have to go.''

Link frowned as he looked at her, slightly embarrassed about the words he was about to say. ''I think the 'getting you pregnant' part should happen after the 'being certain you want me' part, Princess.''

Zelda shook her head quickly, a bright red flush covering her cheeks. ''No, I don't mean that!'' she said as she took a moment to remember her initial point. ''I agree. But this is your bed. I've slept next to you before so… we could share.''

Link felt embarrassed he'd taken her comment in the wrong way. ''Uh… if you're sure, Princess.''

She nodded, moving over as he walked downstairs to grab his pillow and blankets, folding the other across the bottom as a spare just in case. He put the pillow at the top of the bed as she moved hers over, hesitating to get under the covers. She lifted his side up, letting him in as he tried to keep space again.

Zelda leant on his shoulder anyway, curling up beside him. He shuffled over when he realised she wasn't going to move, wrapping his arms around her. He fell asleep with his princess in his arms, sleeping so soundly he didn't hear someone knocking on the door the following morning.

* * *

 _Sorry for the delay; I got caught up with that having to go to work thing I have to do every day. Writing would be much more fun._

 _I hope you enjoyed this slightly longer chapter. It's a bit more fluffy to help you through to the next one. As always, thank you so much for your kind reviews, favourites and follows. Until next chapter!_


	10. Chapter 10

Link's eyes snapped open as he heard his front door do the same, too scared to move. The princess was still asleep with her head on his shoulder, though he suspected not for very long with the sudden guests.

''Good morning! Are you still in bed, Linky?'' Purah said and Link felt Zelda wake up, holding onto him extra tight as she looked up at his face. ''Aw, I thought the princess might have been with you. I wanted to check you were feeding her okay.''

Zelda sat up as she pushed Link to slip down the side of the bed, the knight only just catching himself before he hit the floor. It didn't stop the banging noise of his arm knocking against the bed frame as he landed, the princess leaning over to check. ''Are you okay?''

Link nodded, holding his arm as it stung. It wasn't serious but it had certainly hurt, almost guaranteed to give him a bruise later. ''Yeah,'' he said as he rested his head back on the could tell there was confusion downstairs.

''Princess?'' Purah asked and Zelda sat up, peering over the railing.

''Good morning,'' she said as she got up. ''We must have slept in.''

''Did Link fall out of bed?'' Purah asked and Zelda shook her head.

''No, he slept beside it and hit his arm into the frame,'' Zelda replied.

Symin was awfully quiet as Purah stood on one of the chairs so she could see the princess better. ''You don't think I'm that gullible, do you?'' Purah asked and Zelda sighed. ''I'm a lot older than I look. I've heard a lot of excuses and that's just... his spare bed is on the floor down here. I don't believe he'd have two of them. I barely believe he has one.''

Link sat up, still holding his arm as he finally spoke. ''Morning, Purah.''

They got up, making an almost shameful walk down the stairs. Zelda sat down at the table as Link started up a pot of water, pulling out the tea Purah had specifically given to him with the instruction of offering it to guests. Even if he had nothing else in the house, at least he could give anyone who came over a cup of tea. It helped that it was Purah's favourite.

''Linky, you're not taking advantage of the princess, are you? I'd report you to the royal guard but... well, you're it,'' Purah said as Link let out a sigh. They were in his house and he couldn't catch a break. He hadn't even done anything to be reprimanded for.

Zelda crossed her legs, resting her hands in her lap. ''I think I'm perfectly capable of telling him to leave me alone if I wanted to,'' she said and Purah laughed.

''Just checking, Princess,'' she replied as she looked at Symin. ''Did you want to tell them about what you worked out?''

Symin cleared his throat, still trying to work out how he felt about the situation. This was the princess and the one who was supposed to be protecting her. ''Yes. It's a special type of ore, found deep under Mount Lanayru. A long time ago, they used to be called Naydra's tears,'' he said as he held out a book. ''There's not a whole lot about them here; the Sheikah used to use it to power some of their older technologies. Eventually, the other races got their hands on it and traded it like jewels. They broke them into smaller and smaller pieces until they just looked like particularly shiny sapphires in their jewellery. That's possibly the last decent sized piece left.''

He handed over the book, Zelda scanning her eyes over the pages. ''Does it say what people saw?'' she asked and Symin nodded.

''The next page, your majesty,'' he said as she turned it over. ''There's a number of different reports. The most common is as you said. But there have been a few that state it was dreams or nightmares.''

Zelda closed it over as she looked at Link bringing over tea cups. He put them on the table before he started up the stove, opening his fridge to work out what he had. ''Are you two eating here?''

Purah put her hands on her hips. ''Fish out of the lake again?''

Link picked up the recipe book on the bench, double checking everything he needed. He put them in a pot, following the instructions as the three scientists spoke about the finer details of the pendant. ''Maybe there'll be more in the royal research lab,'' Zelda suggested. ''There's millions of books there we could look into.''

There was an awkward silence; no one dared to say a word in response to her suggestion. She could feel something was wrong, looking between them all. Link didn't even look up from the pot as he stirred, taking a few long depths before he said the words he knew would bring back guilt and pain. ''The royal lab is gone, Princess.''

''Oh, I know it will be in ruins. But surely there's still something there. There'll still be books, some of the equipment. It will need some work but-''

''Princess, it's flat,'' he said as he turned to look at her. She looked back at him, her eyes wide as she hoped he was joking. ''There's nothing left. I'm sorry but I've been.''

''It must have taken a lot to flatten that hill,'' she said and Link frowned. He looked at Purah who seemed just as confused.

''The hill?'' Symin asked. ''It's on top of the hill. The top of it where the building was is flat.''

''So the basement's in tact?'' Zelda asked, light filling her eyes with hope.

Purah put her hands on her hips. ''What basement?'' she asked. Considering the woman had spent quite a number of her younger years working in the royal research lab, it was quite a surprise that there was something there she didn't know about. The fact there was an entire room she hadn't noticed was particularly strange.

Zelda got up, putting the book on the table. ''How long will it take us to go to the three springs?'' she asked as Link checked the food to see if it was edible. He decided it was, putting some in a bowl to place in front of the princess while he thought about it.

''How long do you want to spend at each one?'' he asked as he watched Purah look into the bowl, looking a mixture of surprised and concerned. ''Do you want some?''

''It's not poisonous?'' she asked and Link rolled his eyes.

''Yes, I'm poisoning the princess with witnesses in my own house. No, It's not poisonous,'' he said as he grabbed a bowl, putting food in it before he put it in front of her. He made up another bowl for Symin before grabbing some for himself, leaning against the wall while he ate.

Purah still seemed dubious, though her expression let up after she tasted it. ''I didn't know you could actually cook, Linky.''

''I can't, I can just follow instructions,'' he said as he ate, looking at Zelda again. ''A day? Two?''

Zelda thought about it for a few moments. ''I'd like a full day at each. Dawn to dusk.''

Link did the calculations in his head. ''Three weeks, give or take a day or two. We should be back to the castle with a few days to spare,'' he said and Zelda looked at Purah.

''Are you coming to the coronation?'' she asked and Purah looked uncertain.

Symin looked at the elderly woman in a child's body, speaking exactly what was on her mind. ''Lady Impa will be there.''

''Yes, thank you Symin,'' she said as she looked at him, clearly displeased with him letting out her concerns.

Zelda frowned. ''Have you still not told her?''

Purah let out a sigh. ''No. I haven't worked out how to tell her yet,'' she said as she looked disappointed.

Zelda wasn't sure how she'd face telling a younger family member that she'd accidentally made herself over a hundred years younger. ''What have you got so far?''

Purah thought about it for a minute or so. ''Oops,'' she said with a shrug.

Symin tried his best not to sigh. ''Then I'll explain the fault in the rune, I guess.''

Purah put her hands on her hips as she twirled around like a child. ''I'm hoping to have that age-boosting rune finished by then. I think I would be happy back in my forties or fifties. People will take me seriously again and I will still be young enough to move like this,'' she said as she tried to pull off some sort of pose. The chair wasn't quite stable enough, Symin catching it before it fell. He looked a little too used to doing it.

''We want to make sure it's right. We don't want another case of extreme ageing again,'' he said as Purah got her balance back, brushing it off like it had never happened. ''Making you two hundred or so will just make things worse.''

''I wouldn't complain if we dulled the effects too much I got stuck in my twenties or thirties,'' she said as she looked at her bowl that was empty on the table. ''Lollies? I want lollies.''

''I don't have any,'' Link said as he finished off his bowl. He picked up the empty ones from the table, putting them in the sink. ''I'm going to go feed the horses.''

He felt less awkward as soon as he got outside, silently praying to the goddess that Purah would have enough sense to not say anything until the relationship was public. He had no doubts she was more than reasonable and would agree silence made sense, but she was also technically six and they were prone to saying things in their temper tantrums.

He let the horses loose in some of the land next to his house, watching them enjoy their freedom. They didn't travel far; just happy to be able to eat some of the grass and feed he'd gotten from the little shed attached to the back of his house. He looked at the long grass, sighing as he thought of all the work he'd need to do to cut it. Maybe he should have just fixed the fences and bought some goats. It actually didn't sound like a bad idea, particularly if he offered the produce to anyone interested in town who would be happy just to check in on them every so often when he was away. Or even better, he could just offer his land to one of the local farmers to use and then they weren't his responsibility at all. It wasn't as if he really was using it anyway.

He got out an axe, cutting down a couple of trees to turn into new fence posts. He wiped his brow as he found some nails and a hammer, quickly working out he needed a shovel to secure the posts into the ground. He turned as he heard the front door open, watching as Zelda emerged in her normal clothes, Purah and Symin not far behind.

''Linky, we're leaving!'' Purah called out and Link dusted off his hands, walking back over. ''Take care of the princess. She isn't one of your Kakariko girls.''

Link's mouth opened slightly as he couldn't even think of a retort, the princess looking between them. ''Can somebody please fill me on on what this Kakariko girl thing is?'' she said as she put her hands on her hips.

Symin followed as Purah skipped off, giggling into the distance. Zelda looked at him, walking over as she grabbed his shirt, pulling him aside. ''Tell me what is with those rumours,'' she said as she made him stand up straight, looking into his eyes. ''Is there something I need to know?''

Link tried to break away from her eyes but couldn't bring himself to do it. ''It's nothing you need to worry about Princess,'' he said and he could see the look on her face change. It was disappointed that he wouldn't tell her something, like there was a lack of trust that he still had with her.

''Do you think it's going to change something if I know?'' she asked and Link couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth; he was scared it really would.

He took a deep breath, trying to think of the right words to explain the situation. ''All of the relationships I've had in the past a very short lived. A lot are about the length of an evening,'' he said, trying to be subtle. ''But that's a consequence of constantly being on call, I guess. I couldn't commit to anyone because I wanted to be with you, but that didn't mean I wanted to be alone.''

Zelda looked into his eyes, reading into him. ''Okay. If that's it,'' she said and Link waited to see what else she said. ''You shouldn't have had to be alone. I'm sorry you felt you couldn't have anything real.''

''I have the real relationship I wanted now,'' Link said and Zelda smiled a little, still looking uncomfortable. ''But that's it. They've been from all over the place, just depending on where I was at the time. I don't know why everybody thinks I've been through all the girls in Kakariko Village.''

Zelda folded her arms. ''How many have you?'' she asked.

''From Kakariko or everywhere?'' he asked in reply. It was a bit of a loaded question.

''Do I want to know the total number?'' she replied. Link hesitated. ''Is it in the single digits?'' Link very slowly shook his head. ''Triple?''

''No. Not even close,'' he said quickly. ''It's barely in the double digits. Very barely. And they're almost always just villagers, not other soldiers or people I'd interact with when I'm with you. So don't worry about me talking to any of them regularly. I can't even think of the last time I said more than small talk to any of them. Not to make it sound like- I do care, but-''

He was really struggling to find words. Zelda took his hand, putting a hand on his face to make him look at her again. ''I was pretty much ready to do the same thing to try and find a husband before I worked out I was missing the obvious person in front of me,'' she said and Link frowned, a little confused by her statement. He was fairly certain she'd thought he meant something else.

''I don't think you understood what I just said entirely,'' he said and Zelda frowned. ''There was no intention of staying with any of them, Princess. There wasn't much getting to know them or any thoughts further than what we were doing. They knew I was only in town for a day or two.'' He hesitated for a moment as he watched her frown disappear. ''Okay, there may have been one or two that I might have thought a bit more about but-''

Link stopped, unable to work out how he wanted to end that sentence. Zelda's eyes got a bit wider as she felt stupid for not putting it together faster. ''Oh.''

''Yeah…'' he said and Zelda took another few seconds.

She looked confused most of all, still trying to work out how she was meant to feel about it all. She finally kissed him, taking a deep breath as she took a step back. ''I don't particularly like it but I can't really judge you for trying to have something when I haven't given you the opportunity. And it's not-'' she said as she stopped to think. She was starting to get a bit of an embarrassed pink flush across her face as she couldn't bring herself to say the right words. ''You having… you doing that wasn't the problem. It was the fact you did it specifically because you're too dedicated to me that is. The fact you thought it was your best choice.''

He didn't quite believe she was okay with it. He supposed it could have been much worse. ''You don't have to be, Princess.''

''Well, I am. And I've made some… interesting decisions in the past just so I could get by, you should have yours too,'' she said as she stepped back. She held his hand, still trying to reassure him she was alright with the news. Surprised and a little uncomfortable, but she was at least going to be okay with it. She rathered knowing than the alternative; she could only imagine how much worse it would have been if she found out much further in their future. ''I'm going to go read the book from Symin. We should get moving soon so we can have a look at the research lab before they get to the castle so we don't waste their time looking for it.''

Link nodded, watching her go back inside. He gathered the horses, tying them up again so they wouldn't escape. He got inside, confused not to see her at the table. He walked up the stairs, the princess lying on his bed with the book in her hands, flicking through the pages with that same beautiful look of intrigue on her face. ''Is there anything you'd like for dinner, Princess? I'm going to go into the village for a bit to pick up some more food.''

Zelda sat up, closing the book over. ''No, whatever you're getting is fine,'' she said as she awkwardly put her hand out, Link raising an eyebrow as he took it. She pulled him closer, getting up on her knees as she kissed him. He could feel her pulling him onto the bed as he used his knees against the sides to steady himself.

He stood up straight, pulling away with just the strength in his thighs. ''That's not what I want, Princess.''

''It's what you wanted from all the others,'' she said as she sat on her feet, looking up at him. Why hadn't he expected this? She looked nervous and uncomfortable as she waited for his response.

Link sighed as he sat down on the edge. ''I don't want to rush this,'' he said as he looked into her eyes. ''When it happens, I'm good but it can wait. Not until you're ready.''

There was a look of relief in Zelda's face; all of the nerves had disappeared as she took his hand again. ''If you're sure.''

''I have never been so sure of anything, Princess,'' he said as Zelda leaned over to kiss him again. The warmth of her lips made everything feel better, all of his worries washing away if only for the moments they were together. How could ask more from her than that?

* * *

 _Hello! I have a question to ask you all and would love to hear your feedback. I've planned out 3 ways to write out the rest of this story with their relationship, and I can't decide which one to go for. Please keep in mind, this doesn't really affect anything much in the long run and still isn't relevant for a few more chapters at least. This will probably only really affect one scene._

 _The options are 1. just hint at the lemon (none written) and keep the same subtle tone, 2. change the rating to M and write it in, or 3. write the lemons as side stories and leave this as T with just references to where they'd be placed so you can ignore them if you want. I'd release the 'side stories' the same day as the chapter they are relevant to._

 _Let me know what you think! I'll also put a poll on my profile for anybody who doesn't want to leave it in a review. I'll leave it up over the weekend and let you know the results next week._

 _Thanks for your support so far and I hope you continue to enjoy going forward!_


	11. Chapter 11

Link had to admit it was much nicer to travel with all of his equipment. He had his sleeping bag to keep him warm so the princess could get all of the warmth from hers and feel more comfortable. He never closed his, instead just having it folded over with his sword just inside so he could kick it open and defend the princess at any given time.

His cooking was a bit more creative, though it was still just a rotation of the same simple dishes. The princess still appreciated his efforts as she ate more than before, which led Link to believe perhaps she hadn't really liked it in the first place.

The first spring, the Spring of Courage, had been slightly damaged but overall the same as it has always been. The princess knelt in the water from dawn until dusk, offering anything she could to the goddess for any courage that could be returned. She needed to be brave as she took on her new responsibilities, ruling with the ability to go beyond her fears and make the right decisions.

She got up as it got dark, Link holding out his hand to help her out of the water. Her skin had a blue-ish tinge as he heard her teeth chattering despite her best efforts to hide her discomfort. He pulled the towel from his shoulder, watching her wring the water from the skirt of her dress.

She took the towel to dry her legs and the fabric a little more before taking her bag. She pulled out her dry clothes as she gave him the look he was used to, turning around so she could change.

''I'm not looking forward to the water on Mount Lanayru,'' she said as he heard her drying herself off a little more, pulling on her clothes.

''The springs keep it relatively warm, Princess,'' he said as he felt her hand on his shoulder while she put back on her shoes. ''We'll make some extra elixirs just in case.''

She picked up her bag and walked around him, looking at the dark skies. ''We'll have to set up camp here, I guess.'' It wasn't a bad spot; they had shelter from the weather and the princess could continue praying if she wanted to. There was also only one entrance, which made it a lot easier to keep a track of potential threats.

They sat down around a fire, eating the dish that the princess had insisted on making. It was the fish dish that she'd described in the past, smiling as she tasted it and it turned out pretty well. Link had divided feelings about her cooking for him; she'd gotten so much joy out of doing something for him that he wanted her to do it as much as she liked but she was royalty and shouldn't have been doing such menial work. He wasn't ready to let her cook every night but if she wanted to every so often, he'd let her have a turn.

He sat on the ground with his arms on his knees, legs bent so he was ready to stand the second he needed to. He had his bow under his legs instead of his sword; with only one entrance, there was a much smaller chance of ambush so he wasn't afraid to use a ranged weapon.

Zelda sat down beside him, offering some of her food as she looked like she was struggling to finish it all. ''Link,'' she said in the kind of tone that meant she was nervous to speak, the one that immediately made him nervous to hear it. ''I- I don't know how to put this without sounding... with those other girls, you don't have any- I, um, there's been quite a number so at least one of them has probably been-''

If Link wasn't too busy trying to work out what she was asking, he would have thought her flustered expression was almost cute; it wasn't often the princess was lost for words. ''I don't know what you're asking, Princess.''

''Children. Do you have any?'' she finally asked, Link finally understanding why she'd been so embarrassed by the question. He was embarrassed hearing it, rubbing the back of his head as he tried to work out what to say back.

''No,'' he said, which immediately made her look relieved. ''Did I make it sound like I had sex with all of them? I'm sorry. There's only been two or three. The rest were similar but not... and with those very few we were sure to be careful and do the right things because well, none of us were ready to be parents and...''

Zelda relaxed a little, watching him be just as anxious and flustered about the topic. ''So long as... I don't want there to be any problems if we were to get married, then there'd technically be another heir and you understand-''

Link nodded. ''None, Princess. I've been through every village they were in a number of times since and I would have noticed if they were pregnant or had a baby. You don't have to worry,'' he said and he could see she looked relieved.

She was quiet for a second before speaking up. ''When you say similar...'' she said and Link struggled to work out what to say. It shouldn't have been so awkward; they were both technically adults and had confided in each other about so many other things. ''Sorry, it was just my father and I, and he would tell me I should be focusing on waking my powers before even thinking about anything else. I should have asked Urbosa or someone about it.''

Link began to understand why she was finding it hard to say the right words; she didn't know what they were. It made him feel slightly more comfortable as he realised the topic may have been awkward but it wasn't why it had been so difficult to get words out. ''There's other things you can do, Princess. I'm not the kind of person to have looked for opportunities, and I certainly didn't push for them. But especially when I first woke up and had no memories, I didn't know how I thought or felt about it. I knew I was going to help you fight Ganon but other than that, I didn't know who I was, what I would do. As I regained memories, I realised why it always felt like I was doing the wrong thing. But I couldn't work out what the right one was so it took a while for me to start reconsidering my actions.''

Zelda could see his honesty in his eyes and hear it in his voice, the words something he'd probably never spoken aloud before. ''So you regret it?''

''Yes and no,'' he said as he thought about it. ''I would have said no if I knew we were going to end up here. But with what I knew and how I felt, I didn't make the worst decisions. I honestly thought there'd be no one forever because I'd never stop dedicating my life to you.''

Zelda slowly took his hand, holding it nice and tight. ''I always told you that you could go.''

Link let her rest her head on his shoulder. ''You knew I never was. Not while you could be in danger.''

''I could be in danger my entire life. I'm royalty and therefore always a target,'' she said and Link looked at her.

''Yeah, I know that. I always have,'' he said and Zelda lifted her head to look at him. ''That will never change.''

Zelda sighed. ''You know that you're going to have to change that if we stay together,'' she replied. ''It won't be your job to protect me anymore.''

''It always will be,'' he said as he looked at her, looking into her eyes. ''Whether it's official or not. I will always protect you, Princess. You are too important.''

She knew that but it didn't make her feel better. ''At least it will be easier when I become queen. I will very rarely leave the castle.''

He hated the lack of her smile, hoping to find a way to cheer her up. ''I can't call you 'princess' anymore once the coronation is over,'' he said and Zelda didn't look any more pleased. ''Would you rather 'your highness', 'your majesty', 'my queen'-''

''Or, you know, Zelda,'' she said as she looked at him. He looked uncomfortable with it. ''That is my name. You've always been allowed to use it.''

Link was still struggling. He'd never even considered calling her by her name, not unless it was prefaced with her title. He couldn't even make the sounds from his lips as he tried to force himself. ''I can't-''

Zelda turned to him, looking into his eyes. ''I refuse to be in a relationship where you cannot look at me like we're equals. If you keep calling me names like that, I'll have to start saying them back to you.''

''Like what?'' he said and Zelda had a small smile on the corner of her lips at the thought.

''If we stay together like I hope we do, then you will be my king,'' she said and even just the words sounding wrong to his ears. He wasn't worthy of ever being king. She looked somewhat pleased by the phrase, holding his hand a little tighter. '' _My_ king.''

It did sound a little better the second time around, particularly as it was more affectionate. She leaned in slowly to kiss his lips. ''Zelda-'' he said quietly and her smile got a little bigger.

''Not that hard, is it?'' she asked rhetorically. It didn't sound that bad once he'd finally gotten it out.

He couldn't help but smile at the look on her face. She was so happy that he had done something so simple that he considered doing it forever. ''I can't call you anything else until I'm not your knight. For as long as I serve you, if I don't refer to you properly people will assume I'm not doing my job.''

Her smile faded a little. ''Well, when it's appropriate, please call me Zelda,'' she suggested. He gave a single nod. She leaned in to kiss him again. putting her hand on his face. It warmed her in a way she didn't understand, her whole body feeling hot and desperate to be touched.

She pulled back, unsure about the feelings as she looked at him. She wondered if he felt the same. If it wasn't entirely inappropriate, she would have undone her clothes to let in some air to cool down. ''It's warm in here,'' she said and Link looked embarrassed.

''I can assure you it's really not,'' he said as he shuffled awkwardly in place. He got up, grabbing some of the spare wood to put on the fire. Zelda looked confused as Link looked too nervous to sit down again by her side but too awkward to sit elsewhere.

''What's wrong?'' she asked and Link held his arms. ''Link?''

He looked at the ground. ''This isn't the place.''

''For what?'' she asked, feeling more and more confused.

Link frowned as he looked up at her. ''You're not suggesting...'' he asked and Zelda just looked concerned. He felt some relief. ''Sorry, when someone suggests it's warm and they're close to someone else like that, it usually means they want... I shouldn't have assumed.''

Zelda felt a flush across her cheeks. ''No! Well, yes but no,'' she said, realising he may not have been as wrong as she initially thought. The warmth was particularly regional on her body as she felt her legs squeeze a little tighter at the thought. She'd felt it before - she was a young woman after all - but it hadn't clicked until he mentioned it. ''You're right, not here.''

Link sat back beside her, looking much more relieved. ''It's not that I don't want to, it's that you deserve better, Princess.''

''Zelda. And I think deserve is the wrong word. I don't deserve anything. I would like not to be on a stone floor but I don't think it's a matter of whether I deserve better or not that decides if we do or don't. I just think it would be uncomfortable.''

Link let out a small sigh as he put his hand out for her to take again. ''One of many reasons I can think of,'' he said and Zelda gave him a curious look. ''I don't think it would be looked upon favourably if we were to... if you got pregnant. And I'm not ready to take on the responsibility of another life besides yours. Not until I know you'll be cared for if I had to protect theirs.''

She should have expected he would take fatherhood very seriously. She felt it too; she was barely an adult, let alone mature enough to be a parent. Her behaviour over the past few weeks was evidence enough that she was still too selfish and emotionally vulnerable. She remembered just how calm and patient her mother had been with her. She would be proud of herself if she was half the woman her mother was.

''Pr- Zelda,'' Link said, old habits kicking in. She snapped out of her thoughts to look at him. ''I think we should go to bed. We need to be up early tomorrow to keep moving. The cold is going to slow us down on Mount Lanayru.''

Zelda nodded, fixing up her sleeping bag beside his. She was tucked in but still leant on his shoulder, trying to get comfortable on the solid surface. ''Link.''

''Yes, Princess?'' he asked as he listened to the crackle of the fire, making sure it didn't sound too strong. The last thing he needed was it burning too much and losing control while they slept.

''Can you remind me we should sleep on the grass tomorrow? Not now but stone really isn't comfortable,'' she said and Link laughed a little.

''Sure.''

* * *

 _A bit of a short one today but something to get you through to the next one which will be longer. I hope you've enjoyed this so far and continue showing me that great support. I know a few of you have been asking questions or pointing out things that haven't been explained yet in the reviews, so hopefully I'm slowly covering these off as they become relevant. A lot of these I plan to explain as the story goes to help build upon the concepts but if something seems particularly confusing, let me know so I can try to fix it. You're probably not alone!_

 _As always, thanks for reading_


	12. Chapter 12

Zelda rode ahead as Link drew his bow, aiming at the monster that trailed them. He'd purposefully taken them this way to avoid a monster nest but it seemed their travels weren't destined to be peaceful. If he'd known the nest was there, he would have just detoured them back through Hateno village and around the coastal side. It was longer but at least it was monster free.

He took the shot, missing as the monster dodged. He cursed under his breath as shifted his body weight further forward, encouraging the horse to speed up. He drew again, trying to twist himself around enough to fire without slowing down. He made contact, the arrow piercing the monster's leg as it screeched.

Zelda's horse was struggling, starting to slow down after days of travelling. She tried to shift her body weight to help it but it was too tired to keep going at such a fast pace. Link tried to pull back but his horse wasn't going to slow down that fast without coming to a halt.

The monster caught up to her, clawing at her bag. ''Let it go,'' Link shouted as Zelda looked hesitant. ''Let the bag go, Princess.''

She let it slide off of her arms as she saw Link riding back in her direction, his sword down and ready. The monster clawed at her again, still holding the bag as it tried to grab onto her arm. She threw her hand back, the golden glow leaving her fingers as the monster hissed, falling back.

Zelda's horse came to a stop as Link got in the middle, looking at the monster that had torn the top of her bag. It pulled out some of the spare fruit that had been stored in there, shoving it in its mouth. Link didn't even look at her, ready to attack as soon as the monster was distracted enough not to move. ''Are you okay, Princess?''

Zelda nodded. ''I'm fine,'' she said as she ran her hand down the horse's neck, comforting it in hopes it would recover quickly so they could keep going.

The monster pulled out the pendant, looking at it curiously. Zelda grabbed Link's arm as he looked ready to move. ''Monsters can see things in it?'' she asked and Link watched carefully. It seemed it could.

''If you want your things back, I have to kill it.''

Zelda wouldn't let go. ''We can't capture it?''

''With what, Princess?'' Link asked, getting frustrated at her. She was endangering their lives. So what if she missed this opportunity; he could find her another one. There was no guarantee it'd work for them but it was better than dying.

Zelda frowned as she looked at him. ''I don't know. But if monsters can see things in that pendant and I can't, I want to know why.''

There was a voice from behind them as Link almost jumped, completely unexpected. ''Would you like me to take it back to the castle, Princess?''

Link was on edge. He'd heard absolutely nothing and this man was barely a few metres away. ''Who are you?''

The man got down on one knee. He was easily in his mid-to-late thirties, small flecks of gray through his hair and short beard, his shoulders broad and obviously strong. He'd been some sort of fighter or construction ''My name is Grax. I've been trying to catch up with you to request to be part of your royal guard, Princess. I wish only to serve and protect you.''

Link continued to switch his attention between the monster and the man, wary of both of them. The monster was enthralled by the stone, too busy staring to notice them talking. ''What makes you think you can just skip the academy? You should have gone to the castle to go through the program,'' he said as he held his sword ready. He could feel his skin crawling, a strange feeling of distrust building within him. Something felt off.

''I managed to sneak up on you, didn't I?'' Grax said and it seemed to be enough to convince the princess.

''If you think you can take it back to the castle, then do so. Get it back alive and unharmed and I will make him take you seriously,'' she said and Link looked at her with a frown on his face.

Grax pulled chains from his waist along with some sort of dart. Link tried to hear his steps but there was nothing; it was little wonder he hadn't noticed him arrive. The monster began to move as Grax threw the dart, the monster quickly looking fatigued. It fell asleep as he took the chains and tied it's arms and legs, hauling it onto his back to face away from him. He almost made it look easy. ''Is there anything else you'd like, your highness?''

Zelda looked quite pleased as she looked at her knight, noticing he was less impressed. ''What's your history?''

Grax took a deep breath. ''I am not proud but I was a lead assassin for the Yiga clan. I was talking to Dorian and he suggested that you are in need of new soldiers to rebuild the royal military. I understand this may make you uneasy.''

It certainly did; Link felt compelled to tell the man to leave immediately. It wouldn't be past the clan to try and get someone on the inside to harm the princess. Even without their leader, they were still causing havoc around the world. ''I don't trust him,'' Link said so the princess could hear but she ignored him.

''We all deserve second chances,'' she said and Link could only blink, staring at her as she completely ignored his warning. Considering he was going to be this guy's boss, he felt his opinion should have been pretty conclusive. ''Take the monster back to the castle and make sure nothing happens to it. I want to have a study conducted on my return. There may be some issues with finding an adequate space to hold the monster but hopefully at least one of the old cells in the basement would suffice. You're to supervise it, make sure it stays alive and doesn't escape.''

''As you wish, Princess,'' he said as Zelda looked at Link.

''We should keep moving,'' she said, taking her bag and the pendant from Grax. Link turned around wordlessly, beginning their travels again. He felt furious under his skin, though he wouldn't say it aloud. She was meant to trust him with her safety and she'd completely ignored his warning. He kept a straight face as he checked she was following, taking it a bit easier so her horse could keep up.

She knew he was annoyed with her — she'd spent enough time with him it was easy enough to work that out — but she'd seen men like Grax before; if she gave him false opportunity and he continued to take it, he'd reveal his plan sooner or later when he tried to make a move and realised he'd been told very particular information all along. Everyone in the castle knew to be just as wary of newcomers until they were confirmed by Link or herself.

She saw something up on a hill, a statue of some kind she hadn't noticed before. She strayed from the trail, Link letting out an audible sound of frustration that only she'd be able to hear as he turned his horse to quickly follow. She hopped off of the horse as she got closer, putting her bag down as she leaned in to try and examine it upon her approach.

''Princess! Link! Ah, I didn't expect to run across you two here,'' a voice called out from down the hill as Zelda leaned in close, reaching out as Link turned to look at the passerby. He'd acknowledged they were a person and they were there but he hadn't thought it'd be someone they knew. He really didn't care as he grew more and more frustrated by the princess' detours.

Zelda squealed with surprise as a light hit the pendant and reflected into the sky, the statue coming to life momentarily. Link quickly jumped down, getting in the middle as Sidon hurried up the hill with the other Zora that followed. ''Are you okay, Princess?'' Sidon asked as Link's frustration reached boiling point.

''Zelda, would you stop endangering yourself and think about what you're doing for more than two seconds? I can't save you if you're going to walk up and offer yourself to things,'' he shouted at her and it brought everyone to silence. He stuck a leg out and kicked over the statue that had returned to normal, grabbing the princess' arm and dragging her away.

''I think it's ancient technology that reacted to the pendant. Can we take it with us?'' she asked as she looked back and Link picked her up at the waist, putting her on her horse.

''No. It woke up and fired at you.''

''Only because I touched it,'' Zelda replied.

Link got back on his horse as Sidon looked confused. ''Goddess give me strength,'' he said as he looked up at the heavens, Zelda's face forming a frown. ''Don't look at me like that. That's twice today alone you've done something stupid and almost died. It's not even midday.''

Sidon looked at the Zora around himself. ''Get the statue for the princess. Be careful in case it activates,'' he said as he could tell something was off. Something had changed since he'd seen them last. Link wouldn't have spoken a word no matter how much she annoyed him even just a week ago. ''Can I speak to you both?''

They moved away and let the Zora take care of the statue, carefully placing it in one of the crates they'd been taking with them. They must have been on their way to the castle already. ''I'm on the way to help fix the rivers up to the moat. Well, I won't be doing much of the work because they won't let me but I'll at least supervise. Many Zora want to come and watch the coronation and can't travel well by foot. What are you two doing?''

''We're on our way to the Spring of Wisdom, then we'll go to the Spring of Power before heading back to the castle. We've just been to the Spring of Courage,'' Zelda explained. She could see Link was still silently fuming.

''Why are you so angry?'' Sidon asked, trying to play mediator.

Link only glared. Zelda sighed. ''I wasn't careful and rode ahead earlier. I wasn't watching the distance and a monster spotted us. Then I trusted a stranger to take the monster to the castle because it reacted to the pendant so we could study it. He seemed perfectly competent but Link wanted to kill the monster instead.''

''What if it gets out in the castle, Zelda?'' Link asked, clearly using her name again. He was so mad he couldn't even think straight. He'd spent the past few days just trying to correct himself so he'd say her name that in his frustration he'd forgotten to go back to normal now they had company. Sidon had a lot of suspicions, noticing the very obvious use. Link didn't even call her by her name in conversation. Now he was using it automatically.

''There are other soldiers at the castle. They're competent enough to kill a single monster,'' Zelda replied. ''I think you're just being unreasonable.''

''Then what did you do?'' Link asked with the same tone she was used to hearing from her father.

Zelda looked annoyed at him now. ''I saw the statue and didn't recognise it. I wanted to go and look. So I did,'' she said and Sidon let out a sigh.

''I trust both of you; you are both great at what you do,'' Sidon started with. If he was wrong — and he highly doubted it — they were dating now and this was a lover's spat of some sort. The honeymoon phase, if there'd even been one, was absolutely over. He hoped they'd confess but he somehow doubted it. ''Tell me honestly, what is going on between you both?''

''I'm fine,'' Zelda said as she pointed to herself. ''He's the one who is fussing about me.''

''Which one of those situations today didn't risk your life, Princess?'' Link asked and Zelda could see his point. They weren't going to answer the question Sidon was really asking. He resisted the urge to sigh.

Zelda took a deep breath and looked at her knight. ''I am sorry if I upset you but you wouldn't have let me do them in the first place if I didn't just do it. You're too overprotective of me.''

Link only seemed more annoyed. He went quiet, trying to contain himself again. He took a deep breath and neutralised his expression. ''If I don't protect you then I'm not doing my job, Princess.''

Sidon agreed with him. There would be many more problems if he wasn't. Relationship or not, he had to protect her first; it didn't matter if it didn't make her happy. ''Perhaps you should take a little more care, Princess.''

Zelda didn't seem pleased. ''I'm a scholar.''

''You are a princess. Research is your hobby,'' Link corrected and he could see she was upset by his words. He immediately regretted his statement as he could see her turn away. She began to ride as his shoulders dropped, watching her leave. He let out his breath again as he felt the anger quickly diminish. ''I'm sorry. It's been very tiring and emotional the last month or so. What I said was stupid,'' he said to Sidon who folded his arms.

''I know. You need to tell her that. We'll take care of the totem, you go after her,'' he said and Link began to move slowly, still watching carefully. ''I sincerely hope things settle once the coronation is over. It's certainly taking a toll on you both.''

''Me too,'' he said as he looked at his friend. Sidon was close enough to be a friend, even if he felt a similar sense of duty to him as royalty, just like he had for the princess. Sidon felt pleased as he got the look he was hoping for; Link's expression said more than enough. All he needed was a verbal, or visual, confirmation of their relationship and he'd be patting himself on the back for his excellent skills of deduction.

Link rode off after her, catching up as he stayed a few horse lengths behind. ''I'm sorry,'' he said quietly as his horse fell into the other's stride.

''I don't classify you by your occupation. You are more than just a knight. I am more than just the princess,'' Zelda said as she kept her eyes forward. He could hear the shake in her voice as she tightened her grip. She thought he was different; she thought he'd understand she wanted to be seen for more than the role she was told to fill.

He moved to her side, trying to catch her eyes. ''I know. I'm sorry.''

She looked at him and he could see her eyes were slightly swollen. He'd made her cry. If he didn't already feel bad for saying something so stupid and needlessly cruel, he felt worse now he knew she'd cried. He wanted to force her to stop so he could hold her and apologise profusely but they didn't have the time; they'd already wasted more than they could afford.

She rode in perfect form, patiently slowing down whenever they approached known trouble areas. It was so perfect he was only more and more disappointed in himself; he'd taken away her fire and passion entirely. She was absolutely silent, their travels almost eerie without the sound of her enthusiastic explanations or theories.

Link eventually pulled up along gates heading into the mountain, making her stop. ''Princess, a lynel lives ahead,'' he said as he stopped, drawing his sword as he tried to look through the archway.

''Do you want me to wait here?'' Zelda asked, her voice still submissive to him. It almost hurt to hear.

Link nodded as he slowly began to move forward, checking if the coast was clear. He'd faced this lynel enough it hopefully had learnt to let him pass without causing any trouble. If it wasn't so strong, he'd have killed it a long time ago. There was something about them that made them different than the other monsters; perhaps it was the glimpse of comparable intelligence he could see in the creatures. In its own way, he thought it was possibly even more intelligent than himself.

He could see the lynel in the distance, warily watching the knight. It looked preoccupied with its meal, letting them have passage. A born warrior met another once again; he almost felt there was some understanding between himself and the monster. ''Quickly, Princess.''

Zelda made her way through as Link trailed, still watching the lynel carefully until he couldn't anymore. It had shown no interest in attacking them but he would never be too careful.

It had gotten much colder, snow falling as they began the ascent. It was getting dark too but there was no point in stopping so close to the destination. He pulled on some of his warmer armour as they rode, watching the princess taking one of her elixirs to cope with the cold. She didn't have the balance or control that he did to get changed while moving on horseback.

The moon was high as they reached the top. Link led her through to behind the statue, taking shelter in the cavern that contained a shrine. He pulled out a cover to seal the door a little, the sheet removing some of the biting cold wind that was flowing through. It wasn't perfect but it certainly helped.

Zelda had pulled out all of her clothes, layering herself as she tried to warm up. She sat on the floor, teeth chattering, as she waited for Link to start a fire. Her body just refused to warm up, even once the flames grew enough she could feel the heat radiating from it.

Link pulled out her sleeping bag, helping her get inside so she could sit where she was, concerned by how cold she was. She'd even had an elixir and she was still acting like she was naked in a snow storm. He felt her cheek and it was hot, moving his hand to her forehead. She was sick, probably from a combination of her stubbornness and inability to stop moving forward to rest. The spring in Faron certainly hadn't helped. It wasn't a particularly high fever but it was enough that she needed to rest.

He got his sleeping bag and wrapped it around her, moving back to work out what would make her feel warm. He had plenty of vegetables and there were some spices that had been tucked in the cooking set from the elderly woman in Hateno. He opened up the recipe book and looked through it, eventually finding a stew that hopefully wouldn't take long.

He made something that didn't taste too bad, pouring a bit into a mug that the princess could hold in her hands. He sat beside her, letting her lean into him for more warmth as he drank from his own. ''Should I open the shrine, Princess?''

Zelda looked at him curiously. It seemed to have eased some of the awkwardness between them with even the proposition. ''I can't get in, can I?''

''I don't know. I've never tried taking someone in with me before,'' he said and Zelda seemed intrigued.

He picked up their things and put it on the pedestal inside, walking out to help the princess to her feet. He took the slate from her bag and held it up to the pillar out the front, silently praying it would activate. It did after a few long moments, Link making his way inside. He closed his eyes again, waiting impatiently until he heard the click and felt it begin to move.

Zelda was watching carefully, taking on everything she could as they were lowered into the shrine. She let go of the extra layers as the temperature became more bearable, walking straight off of the pedestal and into the room. ''Is this it?'' she asked as she walked up to the empty chest.

''I've already been through here, Princess. I was tasked with clearing Ganon's growths from the dragon outside before I could come in here for the blessing,'' Link explained. Zelda walked around the chest and up to the stand at the front of the room. ''That is where the monk sat. Each one passed on after gifting me a spirit orb.''

Zelda put her hand on the surface, her hand beginning to glow. ''I can feel the goddess' blessing here. She must have been keeping them alive until you arrived.''

Link set up a place for them to sleep on the lower part of the floor. He sat down as he watched her examine the seat closely. She climbed onto it and Link felt hesitant; he wasn't sure if it was a special place he needed to be wary of or if it was just a platform to sit on.

Zelda sat with her legs crossed where the monk once was, her hands resting on her knees. Her palms faced the ceiling and glowed as she closed her eyes. There was a look of peace and yet concentration across her face that made Link only feel more uneasy.

''Princess,'' he said as he got up, unable to draw her attention. ''Zelda, I think you should get down.''

He saw the barrier very slowly begin to rise from the ground. It would take days at its current pace but that didn't make him feel any better about it. The substance looked like water against glass, filling up some sort of invisible tank around her. He walked over, scared to touch her in case it triggered something else. ''Zelda.''

He could see the glow in her face returning, hesitantly touching her forehead again. It definitely felt better. He put his hand on hers, gently squeezing it as he hoped this was just temporary. How would he explain that he'd lost the princess to the shrine on Mount Lanayru?

He sat on the floor and held her hand as he tried to get some sleep. He could barely reach her but he didn't care as he hyperextended his arm so he could hold on. He woke to her squeezing his hand back, her eyes slowly opening again. ''Are you okay, Princess?'' he said as he stood up a bit too quickly, trying to recover his footing without her noticing.

''I can feel the goddess again,'' she said as she looked at her free hand, watching the glow cascade down her arm. ''She feels strong within me.''

Link gently put his hand to her forehead again, checking her temperature. ''I think she healed you.''

The princess slowly moved off of the pedestal, her hands sitting either side of his face. They were warm, the power in her hands feeling like what he imagined a flickering flame would if it wasn't so hot he'd get burnt. She leaned in and kissed him. It was long and slow as he could feel all of his aches and pains leaving his body.

It was the first time that nerves and other emotions didn't get in the way. He held her waist and got lost in all of her, not letting anything else in. She eventually pulled back, looking into his eyes. ''I shouldn't have been so foolish.''

''I shouldn't try to tame you,'' Link replied and he watched her expression change. This was exactly why he hated talking.

''Tame me? I'm not an animal,'' she snapped and Link sighed. At least she was back to normal.

''I meant control you,'' he corrected. ''If you weren't so curious and observant, you wouldn't be the same princess that frustrates me but I love and would die for with no questions asked.''

He didn't get why Zelda was staring at him in silence until he thought over his exact words. He was stunned with himself, unable to come up with anything to say next. He had to come up with something because the princess was clearly completely overwhelmed. ''I- I don't mean- I, uh,'' he said as he stumbled over words, trying to make sure he said the right thing. ''I don't mean to make you feel you must think the same, Princess. You don't have to feel the same. You don't have to anything.''

''Do you mean what you said?'' Zelda asked and Link hesitated. He gave her a slight nod, unable to look into her eyes. He was almost certain this was going to be a moment of rejection, one where he'd scared her away. ''I-'' She was stammering over the words herself as she tried to say something back. ''I don't know. I think I do and then something happens and other feelings get in the way because my head is so cluttered and I don't know.''

''You have other priorities,'' Link said, feeling some disappointment. If she didn't know for certain, then it probably wasn't meant to be. Zelda still looked confused. ''Don't worry, Princess.''

He walked back to their things, gathering it together. Zelda was still feeling the power running through her as she stood on the pedestal, waiting for the knight to walk over. She made her way out to the spring in front of the goddess statue, not even in her ceremonial garb as she knelt down and began to pray.

Link could see her hands still glowing. She looked more connected than in the past, her head bowed as she prayed. He wandered just far enough to see the sun rising on the horizon, sitting down while he waited. She was easily going to take hours, if not the entire day again.

Being at the top of the mountain, he felt a lot safer leaving the princess alone. Very few made it to the summit and they'd have to pass him to get there anyway. He gathered some resources, piling them aside before he set himself up for a nap.

He opened his eyes to a sudden splash. He stood up as he looked for an intruder, his eyes setting on the princess. She was on her side, face in the water as she'd obviously collapsed. He pulled her out and into his arms in one great sweep, putting her on the concrete. He listened for her breath, his hand hovering over her stomach to try and feel it move. ''Come on, Zelda. Breathe for me.''

He put his hand on her neck as he hoped to feel any sort of a pulse. He didn't really know what he was doing, putting the hand over her lips in hope he could feel that better. There was something; it was faint but she was breathing.

She was soaked to the bone, her lips even bluer than they'd been at the Spring of Courage. He had very little choice; he carried her back into the shrine where it was warm, beginning to pulling her clothes as he lay his jacket over her to protect her dignity, trying to find something dry for her to wear.

He grabbed her sleeping bag when he realised he'd left the other bag outside, placing it over her before he went out to retrieve it. She'd begun to stir with the noise of the entryway lowering again, sitting up without realising the clothes atop of her weren't attached.

''Princess-'' Link said as he covered his eyes and turned away. Even the glimpse was enough he felt a flush in his cheeks, the image floating through his head as he tried to will it away. If he didn't, the situation was only going to get more and more awkward. He was a young man and loved her, finding her more beautiful than any other woman he'd ever met; it wasn't going to take too long for those images in his head to cause bodily reactions.

Zelda let out a gasp as he heard her grab the covers and pull them up. ''Where are my clothes?''

Link threw the clothes from his hands toward her without looking. ''You collapsed in the water and were freezing. I covered you but-''

Link turned as he heard her stop moving so much. He knew his cheeks were still bright red. It quickly returned to normal as he realised she was still freezing, her whole body shaking and even the tips of her fingers had slightly changed colour. He needed to warm her up somehow when clearly her own body wasn't going to be able to do enough.

He grabbed his spare clothes and pulled them over her, wrapping her in both of the sleeping bags. ''I think it's just trapping the cold in,'' Zelda said as she continued to shake. There was some improvement but not enough to make Link feel like it was working well enough. Her teeth chattered while she spoke but he could make out what she was saying. ''I was taught by one of my teachers that to prevent hypothermia, you should get as much skin contact as possible. A frozen body doesn't have enough warmth to heat fabric effectively.''

Link seemed confused. ''Okay. So what do I need to do?''

Zelda began pulling off the layers while Link waited aside. ''Sit beside me.'' He did so as he waited, watching her hesitate on the last layer. He could feel that blush creeping up again. Her lips were still shaking and teeth clicked together, only made worse by her own embarrassment. ''D-d-d-d-d- Did you bring my bag down?'' Link got up and brought her bag over to her. She searched through it for a few moments. ''C-C-Close your eyes.''

He opened them as he felt her pulling at his clothes, feeling only more confused. ''Princess-''

''Just take it off. And your pants. Leave anything else on,'' she said and Link did as she asked. She'd put on some sort of top that only covered her chest, not really looking practical but it was probably packed in case they got stuck in the desert somewhere. Her skin was so pale, moving closer to him as she took the sleeping bag and wrapped it around the both of them. He'd seen her in her ceremonial clothing before and he knew her skin tone wasn't that colour.

She felt like ice as their bodies touched. Link almost jumped, his body trying to retreat. ''I'm sorry,'' Zelda apologised as she curled up to him, using him like a hot water bottle to bring herself back up to a normal temperature.

He eventually moved, letting her sit in his lap so there could be more contact, holding the sleeping bag closed around them. At least it kept some of the heat from his body in as well so he wasn't just freezing alongside her.

It took a while but she began to feel normal as they sat in silence. They'd slowly gotten comfortable as time went on but it was still strange to think about what they were doing. They were practically naked, holding each other under a sleeping bag; if this story was ever told, there'd need to be a clear explanation about the hypothermia part first or he'd be castrated by the castle staff almost certainly.

He felt his eyes beginning to close as it must have been getting late. ''Are you hungry, Princess?''

Zelda shook her head. ''I'm just cold.''

Link got up and lay out one of the sleeping bags on the floor, curling up their clothes to make some pillows. It felt somewhat wrong as Zelda could see what he was doing, moving onto the makeshift bed. He lay down beside her, wrapping his body around her as she flicked the sleeping bag over him. He'd certainly blown sleeping next to her on top of the covers out now; if anyone could have gotten into the shrine to see them, it'd be a national scandal. He was glad he was the only person in all of Hyrule who could open the door.

The problem with sleeping indoors was he couldn't tell what time it was when he woke up. She felt a normal temperature so it must have been a while. He slipped outside as quietly as he could manage, fixing his clothes on his way up. The sun was out as he felt like it was strangely warm.

He walked in front of the goddess statue, getting down on one knee and bowing his head to pay his own respects. He always made sure to at least give her a couple of minutes before they left. _''Link.''_

Link looked up as the statue glowed. It hadn't done so since Ganon had been defeated. ''Thank you for helping the princess.''

 _''The princess and I are the same. I am her and she is me,''_ the voice from the statue replied. _''Go now before the snow falls. I will protect you on your way.''_

Link got up and nodded, walking back inside to pack quickly. Zelda sat up as she rubbed her eyes. ''Why are you rushing?''

Link had almost everything together. ''The goddess has cleared our path. We need to go.''

Zelda quickly got up and fixed her clothes while Link fixed up the sleeping bags. ''The goddess did?''

''When I was collecting the spirit orbs, the statues spoke to me. It spoke again,'' he said and Zelda had a sinking feeling in her heart. That usually meant something bad was about to happen.

''Does that mean more evil is on its way?'' she asked and Link looked at her. He sincerely hoped not; they'd barely begun the recovery process from calamity as it was.

Zelda hesitated in front of the statue as they made their way out, Link holding the horses as they enjoyed the warmth of the sun. She bowed her head and prayed again, the flickering of power returning to her fingers. ''Are we all safe?'' she asked quietly and Link watched, hoping for a positive answer.

She looked up, a look of relief on her face as she put out her hands, the golden glow moving from her hands and through the air toward the statue. ''Thank you,'' she said before she walked back to Link, taking her horse's reins. ''She was helping me recover, lending me more of her powers.''

''Are you better now?'' Link asked and Zelda examined her hands.

''I can still feel some residual energy,'' she said as she lifted them to the sky, the golden glow barely visible. ''I think I might get fatigued after a while, so we should get moving.''

Link followed as they made their way down the mountain, glad to be finished with the bitter cold for a while. It was beautiful under the sunshine, even if the ground was still cold from the snowy terrain. Snow was beautiful and he enjoyed it when he could be thoroughly prepared; their rushed travels really had just turned it into an inconvenience.

He watched the princess carefully. He assumed that she'd collapsed because of her exhaustion the night before, so it wouldn't surprise him if she did again. At least Akkala wasn't as difficult as reaching some of the other locations; the terrain was less rough and the paths were in relatively good condition.

The princess slowed as she got hungry once they were out of the snowy region, reaching over to a tree from the back of her horse to pluck some apples. She had never been a great throw — it was hard to be good at sports when she'd been told to dedicate herself to prayer indoors — but Link was good enough to catch the one that went flying in his direction.

She sat quietly in thought as they rested. Link could see something was on her mind. ''Is something wrong, Princess?''

Zelda blinked as she looked up at him. ''No, just thinking about the coronation ceremony. It's been a long time and I'm not sure I'll do everything correctly.''

''You'll do great, Princess,'' he said and Zelda looked at him with the same look that made him immediately correct himself. ''Zelda.''

She crawled over to him, kissing his lips again. He checked the path just to be sure as she pulled away. ''If we don't start trying to make this work, we're going to get back to the castle and things will go back to how they were. It will all be for nothing.''

Link wasn't sure that she should have been so determined; he could think of many more scenarios where not returning to normal was a worse decision than the ones where it would be fine. He let her kiss him again as he listened for any kind of noise that could potentially mean someone was coming past.

Her hands moved around his face as she got closer. ''Princess,'' Link said as he could feel her breathing increase. He was feeling warm as well. He heard distant footsteps from another horse, still far enough they wouldn't see but he needed this to stop quickly. ''Zelda.''

He somersaulted backward, reaching for his bag as the hoof beats got closer. Zelda looked completely lost until the horse came into view. They passed by as Link tried to look unsuspicious, Zelda watching him carefully. He moved closer again as they got further away. He could see she was hesitant to try again.

He leant in a little closer and kissed her. ''We should get moving.'' He felt disappointed when he stood up, holding out his hand to help her to her feet. They needed to push on a little further before they set up for the night or they would have to wait another day so the princess could pray as much as she wanted.

They stopped at a stable when it got dark, sleeping in the individual beds. No matter how nice it was to be on a mattress instead of a hard floor, all they could think about was how much nicer it was when they weren't sleeping alone.

* * *

 _This chapter is a bit longer this time. Just wanted to remind you that there is going to be at least mentions of a lemon coming up and I've asked you to let me know how you want it delivered in reviews or on my profile. In case it helps, it will probably not be that sexy; I think anyone who has a sexy first time is very lucky and rare unlike what fiction likes to tell us. Zelda and Link are too awkward for it to be an exception. Don't get me wrong; I'm not going to make it awful and unbearably awkward, but it's probably not the really sexy lemon most people have been picturing._

 _I know this might influence people's feelings so please let me know! Would you like it in the story completely, written as a separate one shot and just mentioned, or just mention it with nothing written? Your votes do matter! At the moment, the votes are leaning towards changing the pic to M and including it but it can still certainly go either way. Or just leave me a review and tell me what you think about how things are going and give me any feedback you might have._

 _Thanks as always for all your support, and until the next chapter ;)_


	13. Chapter 13

_Hello all, I don't usually interrupt before the chapter but there is a bug on the site which means it is not always sending out the new chapter alerts. I've had this occur a few times in stories I've been reading, and I haven't received the author carbon-copy email for a couple of chapters now (6 & 12). They may still be going out to you all but I thought I'd bring it up just in case. I've reported the issue with no response yet, but let me know if you've ever had the same experience._

 _Please check you have read the previous chapter first (and other chapters in case you've missed them)._

 _Secondly; this chapter is the lemon. Including it in the story got the most votes but a fair number, but I decided to structure it in a way that you can skip this chapter if you like and not miss anything critical to the plot. Because of this, the chapter isn't going to be very long._

 _Let me know what you think, and if you don't want to read this chapter for any reason at all, I will see you in the next chapter!_

—

The final spring went over much more smoothly than the others; the weather was perfect and Zelda had been pleased with her prayer. They camped for the night in the open fields, enjoying the emptiness around them.

The grass was spongey, unlike the hard floors they'd been sleeping on before, both staring up at the stars. Link felt comfortable enough that they were far away from paths, laying out one of the sleeping bags for them to lie on together as the other lay over the top of them. Somehow he just knew that was what the princess wanted; most likely because that was what he'd wanted too.

''Link, I've been meaning to ask you something,'' she said and Link turned onto his side, leaning on his arm to look at her so she knew he was taking her seriously. ''Do you think this will work?''

''What, Princess?'' he asked and Zelda turned her head just enough to look into his eyes.

''Us.''

Link had to think about his words carefully; he didn't want it to be misunderstood. ''I think it's possible. I would like it to but I know that things don't always happen the way we'd like them to.''

Zelda looked back at the stars, her eyes almost searching for answers. ''Then, I suppose the next thing might be a bit more confronting.''

Link frowned as he waited for her to elaborate. She was certainly taking her time about it. She couldn't even look him in the eye as she found words, biting her lip anxiously before she spoke. ''I don't think we'd get the privacy we want in the castle. I know what it's like to live there and you're never truly alone. I couldn't take a bath without someone knocking on the door to check if everything was alright.''

Link felt a little guilty; he knew most of the time it was probably him that wasn't giving her enough space. That said, he was usually more lenient when she'd been in the castle; it was much harder for intruders to get in to hurt her there without raising an alarm and others suited her needs much better than he did. Since the calamity, however, he'd been around her almost constantly. ''I'm sorry. I can stop-''

''Not you,'' she said as she turned to look at him. ''Well, yes you but that's not what I meant. I don't need you hovering over me quite so much but that's not my point.''

Link was confused. He wasn't sure what her point was if she wasn't asking him to give her space. She surely wasn't telling him so he'd pass it onto the staff; she knew she could just tell them herself. ''Then what is it?''

Zelda had a blush on her cheeks, staring at the stars as she tried to contain herself. She just felt awkward even saying it. Why did he have to be so thick sometimes? ''I don't want to be interrupted the first time we…''

Link immediately got what she meant. ''Oh.''

''Yeah,'' she said as she turned to look at his facial expression. ''People will even just hear noise in the night and assume I'm up because I need something. So I want to be away from the castle. Somewhere we don't have to worry about that.''

Link understood her point; it was going be particularly awkward if the person didn't knock first and walked in. There were so many questions running through his head but it all came down to what she wanted. ''Did you have something in mind?''

Zelda sat up and kissed him, holding his face as she hoped it'd make her point clear. They were alone, it was comfortable, and the night couldn't have been more perfect. There wasn't a breath of wind and it was the right temperature to have just the sleeping bag draped over them without it getting to hot or cold. It was also somewhat romantic under the starlit night; what more could she ask for in a setting for what was meant to be one of the most memorable moments in her life?

Link broke away from her, looking into her eyes. ''We are thoroughly unprepared.''

''How so?'' Zelda asked and Link could think of a million reasons if just one of them would turn into a coherent sentence.

''What if you get pregnant?'' he asked, going for the most important question first.

Zelda took a second. ''I still feel confused but I believe I want you to be the one beside me for the rest of my life.''

Link still felt nervous. ''Are you ready to be a mother?''

''If that is what the goddess wants for me, then I'll deal with it. No, I'm not ready but I'm not ready to be queen either and I'm dealing with that, doing what I can so I will be,'' she replied. ''I don't want to get pregnant either but when are we next going to get this opportunity?''

''I think you're being really stupid if I'm honest with you, Princess,'' Link said and Zelda didn't argue.

''I agree. I am being an absolute moron but surely there's something we can do. How were you prepared for the others?'' Zelda asked and Link sighed.

''We had the right elixirs, the right things to protect us.''

''What do you need for the elixir?'' Zelda asked and Link sat up.

''Uh, there's a certain type of plant. The usual things to mix with it. I don't have any of it. And it's still not a hundred percent. It's significantly less but it could still happen,'' Link said and Zelda picked up the Sheikah slate.

''Are they located anywhere near here?'' she asked and Link had to think about it. He fiddled with the slate, finding the items he needed to locate. ''Are they close?''

''I don't want to leave you alone,'' Link said, which confirmed her suspicions. She remembered something vaguely that her father had complained about when harvests were low in Akkala one year and it had propagated into larger problems throughout Hyrule. That was over a hundred years ago, so there was always a chance she had it wrong or things had changed.

''It's an empty field. If I scream, you'll hear me. If something gets close, I'll jump on my horse and ride to the nearest stable,'' she said and Link still hesitated.

He looked into her eyes. ''Are you sure this is what you want?''

Zelda nodded and he got up, starting up the sensor. He found what looked to be a farm not too far away, pulling his hood over his head as he got closer. ''You better not be stealing my crops, young man,'' a voice croaked from a window, catching Link's attention. ''If you want something, come over here and buy it. Less time and effort, more effective because we've done it right. Come on. Come here.''

He didn't want to lift his head; he knew he was recognisable and it would make its way back to the princess somehow. ''Sorry,'' he said, keeping his voice low in an attempt to mask it, though he was almost certain it wasn't working.

''Three hundred rupees.''

Link was sure it shouldn't have been that expensive. ''What?''

The elderly woman pulled out a few things. ''One of everything. I've met boys like you before, still embarrassed to ask. You're probably just going to show it to your friends and giggle over it. So get one of everything and use what you want or don't, I don't care.''

He handed over the money, thanking her quietly as he walked back. He examined the bottles, reading each of the labels by the dim light. Make and female elixirs for both protection and fertility, and a few remedies for common sexually transmitted illnesses. She'd really given him everything and it should have been much more expensive.

He got back and Zelda was reading her notebook under the light of a few fireflies she'd trapped in a jar. ''I found a farmer who sells it all.''

Zelda looked more nervous as she sat up. This is was becoming very real all of a sudden. ''Did she recognise you?''

''I hope not. I think she thought I'm a fourteen-year-old on a dare or something,'' Link replied as he sat down beside her. He was short, even for a Hylian, so he supposed that helped in the matter. He was sure if the woman had seen his hair or face he would have been figured out very quickly.

He could feel his heart beginning to race because of his nerves, his palms getting warm and sweaty. If he didn't know better, he'd think it was his first time all over again.

Zelda held up the jar so she could read the labels. ''So it's just take this?''

Link didn't consider himself an expert on the area but it seemed like it when the princess had heard only the very minimum. She knew what contraception was at a high level and that it greatly lowered the risks but did she know how it worked, what the side effects were or that there was always still a chance it could go wrong? It would change their entire lives if it did.

''More or less. But it's still not a guarantee.''

''What's the percentage?'' she asked and Link had to think. He didn't know the exact number off of the top of his head.

He had hoped it would say it on the bottles. ''Something very high. Very, very unlikely but still possible.''

Zelda checked the vial again, passing him the other one. ''Should we both take one?''

''We don't have to but it's probably a good idea,'' Link said and Zelda nodded. ''Are you sure this is what you want?''

Zelda seemed to hesitate. ''This isn't what I pictured but I'd rather do this now than back at the castle. I know what it's going to be like once we're back there. That will be much worse than our awkwardness now.''

She was always stubborn; he wasn't surprised by that. He did hope she'd reconsider for her own sake but it seemed that wasn't going to happen. It wasn't as if the thought hadn't crossed his mind before — he'd had dreams of her in the moonlight, where they were all alone — but there were different pressures when it came to reality.

Neither one knew how to make the first move. Zelda held the bottle between her fingers, anxiously trying to work out what to do. This was the perfect moment despite all the awkwardness and anxiety. If they didn't do it then, she wasn't sure when they'd next get the opportunity to truly be alone and somewhere comfortable.

She opened the bottle, hesitating as she took a sip from it. For some reason, she'd expected it to taste like something other than medicine. It certainly wasn't pleasant but she wasn't going to be sick like some of the others she'd had. She tipped her head back so she could get it all down at once, feeling it run down her throat and into her stomach.

Link did the same, aware that there was no going back now. If she'd committed this far, then she wasn't going to reconsider. She kissed him as he put the bottle down, trying to quiet all of her thoughts. She didn't even know where to start but kissing seemed to be as good a place as any.

He kissed her back. He needed to get out of his head or they'd never get anywhere. There were so many nerves that it was hard to get aroused, no matter how much he wanted to. He was still too worried about touching her, scared to hold her in the way he should have been.

She pulled at her own clothes, pulling them away. ''Don't be scared,'' she said, though she knew she was just as guilty. She should have known by now that he was never going to lead without hesitation; there was too much at stake if he got it wrong. ''I need you to guide me through this. I don't know what I'm doing.''

He took a deep breath, putting his hands on her bare waist. He could feel goosebumps, though he was certain they were likely to be nerves instead of the temperature. He kissed her again as he tried to think about how he'd wished for this but his head kept coming back to any reason not to that it could find.

She began to pull at his clothes, removing all but his underwear so they were the same. She looked too nervous to pull off the rest, Link trying to work out what he was going to do next. There was only one real way forward.

''Please stop me if you want to, Princess. Anytime,'' he insisted and Zelda nodded. She knew she could trust him; he'd never try to hurt her on purpose.

He reached around her and undid her bra, letting it fall away. Even though he'd gotten a glimpse only a few days before, there was something different when he was allowed to see her. He could take it in, admiring the beautiful woman that she was and even how her curves looked perfect to him. The little imperfections only enhanced her, proving that she was not only gorgeous but real, not some painting or other art work.

He kissed her skin near her collarbone. He could tell she hadn't expected the sensation, holding onto him as she watched him carefully. He curled his hand around her back to bring her closer, trying to figure out whether she was preferring he take it slow or if he should let the passion take hold and stop holding back.

He knew she'd need as much arousal as she could get; he'd never been with another virgin but he'd heard enough. He was thankful the others had been able to lead him through it all but it left him lost as he tried to work out how to help the princess in front of him.

He bit the inside of his lips, holding back his nervous expression as he pulled down her underwear. He rested his hand between her legs, going back to kissing her lips so she'd be assured it was alright. She was holding onto him so tightly he was sure there were going to be marks, feeling like she was simultaneously pushing him away and pulling him close in an internal tug-of-war.

He laid her back as he got on top of her, kissing her as he just let his fingers move around, stroking the inside of her legs in an attempt to make her comfortable with their presence. She let out a timid moan and he felt some sort of relief; at least he wasn't giving her the opposite reaction.

Her hands dropped down to his underwear, pulling them away. He was anxious to know how she'd react, not that she could see anything under the covers. Her hands were somewhat warm as the touched him, shaking slightly. His body twitched as she moved her hand over him. She pulled back, nervous she'd done something wrong.

''No, it's okay,'' he said under his breath, leaning in to kiss her neck again. She touched him as lightly as she could, feeling his body get harder each time she moved. She still felt nervous and unsure.

''Am I doing the right thing?'' she asked and he nodded, his breath starting to get ragged and hot. He could feel her trying to work out what to do, his head getting clouded as he wanted to just take her in that second. He took a deep breath and wrapped his hand around hers, helping it move. If he needed something to take his nerves away, her hand wrapped around him and moving.

He kissed her with even more vigour, his hand moving down between her legs again. He was still gentle but wasn't holding back, feeling her hand stop and just grip while he let his fingers slip inside of her.

She moaned and squirmed under his touch. ''Just hurry up,'' she groaned and he took his hand away.

''We can't take this back, Princess,'' he said and he felt her just grip him tighter.

Zelda groaned as he brushed his hand over her chest, moving it to support himself. ''My name is Zelda, and I really shouldn't have to beg.''

He guessed he was better to get the first move over quickly, particularly seeing as she was telling him to go faster to get it over with. It turned out to be the wrong decision as she squealed in pain, her legs getting in between them as she pushed him off and out. She was taking several deep breaths as she held her lower stomach, trying to work out what had just happened. It felt like he was tearing into her, stretching her beyond what she could handle and stabbing into her lower belly like a knife as he hit it with speed and pressure.

''Are you okay?'' he asked as he got closer to her again, putting a hand on her leg. ''I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.''

''Is it meant to hurt like that?'' she asked, still trying to process what had just happened.

Link shook his head. ''No. I mean, I don't know but I don't think so. I know it's worse the first time but not that much.''

Zelda looked scared to start again. ''Can we go slower? Be more gentle?''

Link nodded, though he could already feel the lack of arousal he'd had just moments ago. It was still under the surface but concern had taken over. ''If it still hurts-''

''I will tell you to get off of me, I assure you. I am not putting up with anything that hurts like that,'' she said as she opened her legs again, inviting him back into her arms. ''Gentle.''

''I'll do my best,'' he assured her. He was much slower, which made her uncomfortable but it didn't hurt nearly as much. He got all the way in and stopped. ''Better?''

''Much,'' she said as she tried to move a bit to get more comfortable. ''Does it get better as we go?''

''That's what I've heard. Something about stretching for the first time makes it worse,'' he explained. That made sense and helped her feel better about the situation, relaxing a little bit. That helped too as Link moved again. Each time felt a bit better as he kissed her and touched her to keep her aroused through the process.

He knew they were getting somewhere when she finally let out a moan again. He kissed her shoulder as he rested his head on the ground, trying to build some sort of rhythm now he wasn't quite as worried. He was still cautious, using his hands to lift his hips back so he wouldn't dig in too far.

She groaned and moved beneath him as he felt the familiar pulsing sensation. He was glad for it, particularly as he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out for. She was just so beautiful and he finally had her to himself; he was surprised he didn't lose control within the first minute.

The sound she let out as he dug into her for the final few times was like music to his ears. She was shaking as her fingers dug into his back, the feeling of flickering flames running overtop. They both stayed still, Link holding his weight as he tried not to collapse on her. His forehead rested on hers as he felt her chest expand to touch his with each breath.

''Okay, if that is what it's meant to be like, then that's okay,'' Zelda said as she felt Link laugh. ''I hope that first bit gets easier.''

''It does,'' he replied as he moved over so he could relax his arms. ''Each time it should get easier. Depending on how long between is how much your body will return to how it was but eventually it'll just get used to it for a long time, I think.''

Zelda nodded. ''I can deal with that,'' she said as she looked at him. He was still catching his breath as he had a smile on his face; not obnoxious but still visible in the moonlight. ''Thank you.''

He sat up, reaching around for his clothes. ''In case someone does happen to come past, at least some clothes are a good idea.''

Zelda nodded, though it didn't rid her of her disappointment. She got dressed again and curled up beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. ''Is this okay?''

''As long as you don't mind I push you off in case of someone getting too close,'' Link replied. She nodded and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep relatively quickly. The night had been both physically and emotionally draining, Link falling into a deep sleep for the first time since they'd left his home. He held her tight, aware this was possibly one of the last nights he'd be able to spend with her alone for a very long time.


	14. Chapter 14

Link got up from their place in the fields, starting to pack away their things while the princess slept. Her skin may have glowed in the moonlight but her hair reflected the sun, the beautiful gold shimmering as it lay across her face. He could watch it forever if he was given the chance to. If only there weren't more pressing matters, like the fact he needed to get her home to the castle as soon as possible.

He had to rid himself of all the images in his head; sure, the night before wasn't perfect but he could still feel her skin against his hands, her lips on his as the connected in a way he thought would never truly happen. Then they'd slept and everything felt right like he had always imagined life would be when he finally met the right person, just like his mother had told him when he was a little boy. It didn't matter if it was awkward at the time; the memory of their naked bodies together, expressing something so raw was still something special to him and he hoped the princess felt the same.

Zelda slowly woke up, sitting up as Link prepared some breakfast. ''You didn't let me sleep too long, did you?'' she asked and Link shook his head.

''It's still early. If we leave after we eat, we should get to the wetlands by tonight,'' he said and Zelda nodded.

She got up and took one of the bowls, eating from it quietly. Only two more days out in the wild before she was returned to the castle. She almost felt like turning around and going back to the shrine of power because it had been way too easy after the struggles on Mount Lanayru. They walked in, she prayed, they walked out; when was anything ever that easy? It felt like it had been a dream, particularly with the night they'd just had together.

Link gathered up the sleeping bags and the horses, preparing them to set off again. ''The sooner we get moving, the more time you'll get to be ready for the coronation.''

He could feel the uneasiness in the air as they tried to work out how things had changed. The night had been special but given the circumstances, who was to say when or if it would ever happen again. They'd pushed past their worries and awkwardness and finally shared the moment that they previous thought wouldn't happen until after they were well and truly back at the castle, possibly even married. Surely they were now officially together as a couple, no longer in that state of limbo between friends and lovers.

She looked uncomfortable as she got up on her horse. She didn't even sit right. ''Are you alright, Princess?''

Zelda turned her head to look at him. He expected her to correct him as he realised he'd said the wrong thing, but she didn't. ''Yeah, I'm fine.''

He walked over to her horse, looking up as he held the reins. ''What is it?''

She looked embarrassed and sore. ''I didn't expect to still feel it now,'' she said and Link frowned. ''It's not bad. It's still just thought it'd be okay by now. It's getting better all the time so don't worry about me.''

He let go of the reins and went back to his horse, getting up on its back. ''Just tell me if you want to stop and rest,'' he said and she nodded. It did ease as the day went on but she did have to stop a few times just to try and stretch.

She was quiet, even when they stopped for the night. They stopped at one of the stables again, the princess taking herself to bed early as Link couldn't help but feel a sense of uneasiness. He knew that'd they'd probably rushed into having sex but this was really just proving it to him. She could barely look at him and it was only getting worse as the day went on.

He sat outside by the fire pot, making something up to fill that small amount of hunger he still had. He didn't need it but while he had the opportunity, he wasn't going to waste it. Who knew how much they'd eat in the morning before they had to rush off to continue their journey. He used a ladle to mix the broth, tasting a bit to see whether it was okay. If it turned out alright, he considered making it for breakfast as some sort of alternative to the usual meals he made. It wasn't anything special in the end; when they only had a day worth of travel left, it wasn't worth making something for them both that he wasn't sure she'd like.

He walked back inside after the small meal. He looked at her asleep in her bed, still looking upset in her dreams. He looked at the innkeeper who was sweeping up outside, resisting the urge to touch her face and kiss her. This wasn't meant to happen this way. He barely slept himself, waking up as he heard movement around the stables in the early hours. He got up to see the princess getting out of bed as quietly as she could manage but it still wasn't quiet enough when they were in the same room. She knew he heard people moving miles away when they were outdoors, he could hear her moving in a room.

He sat up and the princess turned a little to look at him. ''I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you,'' she said and Link shook his head. He got up, watching her move very carefully. Zelda may not have been looking at him directly but she could see what he was doing. She was still whispering so only he would hear, aware of the others in the room. ''I feel better now. It was like I'd been riding a horse for too long, just less on my legs and more…''

He could understand why but he didn't think they'd been that rough to make her feel sore for the entire day after. Then again, it was the first time and he had never really asked. He didn't want to dwell on it too long, particularly as they weren't alone and if it was better, there was no use in getting worried over it. ''As long as it's better.''

She nodded, getting up as she gathered her things. ''We should keep moving so we can get back to the castle,'' she said and Link grabbed his bag, putting it on his back.

She went straight to the horses instead of the cooking pot, getting on her horse's back. ''Princess-'' Link said as she began to move.

He got on the back of his own, following her as they travelled. She only stopped when he could see she was so hungry she was shaking, her stomach audible enough he could hear it from a few metres away.

''Zelda, please talk to me,'' he said, uncomfortable with her silence. He was beginning to understand why she found it so frustrating when he was quiet, why she had insisted until he finally gave up and started to let the thoughts come out. He'd give anything just to know what was running through her head so he could stop making assumptions and start fixing it.

Zelda only looked more upset as she got off of her horse, reaching up to try and get an apple that was slightly out of her reach. She suddenly burst into tears and Link felt even more confused, walking over to use the tip of his sword to cut the stem so it'd fall into his hand. He offered it to her but she had curled up, tears running down her cheeks.

He got down on the ground, putting a hand on her arm as he tried to work out what to do. ''Did I do something?''

Zelda shook her head as she tried to contain herself. ''I'm just so scared,'' she said and Link waited for her to continue. ''It's all too much. It's just hit me like a hinox or even an ancient beast; I'm going to be queen in just a few days. Everybody is going to be watching my every move, they'll rely on me. And it's not like Ganon — just use my powers and once he's sealed away I'm done — but it's until I _die_. Everyone in the whole entire world will be relying on everything I do and say until I die. What if I mess up? What if there's war? What if people die because I don't give them the resources they need in time? What do I do?''

Link wished he could relieve her stresses but there was nothing he could do but listen. ''You'll do fine, Princess. No one can ask you to be perfect. All you can do is what you think is best,'' he insisted.

''How can you say that? It's been almost two days and you don't look at me the same. I shouldn't have asked you to have sex with me if I knew you would be like this-'' she said and Link felt confused.

''Like what?'' he asked and Zelda finally looked in his eyes.

''Like you're sorry for me. Like you think I'm precious. Like I'm damaged and need to be held and helped like a child.''

Link frowned. ''That's not what I'm thinking,'' he said and Zelda still seemed convinced. Given her frantic mental state, he wasn't sure he'd ever convince her otherwise.

''Of course you won't admit it. Princess Zelda, damaged and fragile now she's let a man take advantage of her-''

Link held her shoulders, making her look into his eyes. ''Zelda, that is not what I think. I think you are beautiful and I wish we could do the other night all over again so it could be even more perfect like you deserve, though now it's clear I should have said no again. You weren't ready.''

Zelda went quiet as Link wiped the tears from her face. ''I thought I was but there's so much else going on, it didn't matter,'' she admitted. ''It was too sudden.''

Link felt awful. He'd still been thinking that it had been a wonderful night and here she was crying because she'd been completely overwhelmed. He wasn't even sure it was what they'd done that had upset her; it was all the time after when he had let her keep her silence, letting her sit in her own thoughts until she'd convinced herself that things weren't going to be alright.

''Is there anything I can do to make it right?'' he asked and Zelda seemed unsure. ''You're still not sure about us.''

Zelda looked sorry. ''There's just too much happening. I can't even think without getting overwhelmed. I need some time and I know that doesn't work for you so maybe we should-''

Link had never felt so much pain all at once. He knew what she meant and it wasn't good for him. ''Okay.''

''Link,'' she said as she tried to get his attention. ''It's just not the right time for me. Maybe some day but I can't even say for certain that I'll ever know for sure. You shouldn't wait for something that might not ever happen.''

''That's fine, Princess,'' he said as he took his hand away. It was probably inappropriate now she was telling him they shouldn't be together. All he felt was regret; he'd finally thought she might have loved him back and he was completely wrong.

''Zelda,'' she corrected. She still wanted them to be friends, assuming that things would go back to the way they were. She still trusted him above all others and he was her closest friend; she deserved the ability to use his name.

''If you don't mind, I'd rather not right now,'' he said as he got up. ''We should get you back to the castle. You're just panicking because we're not there yet. Once we're back and the stress of the ceremony is over, you'll be fine.''

Zelda could see he was upset, even beyond the fact he'd immediately forced a neutral expression on his face. He grabbed some more fruit for her and handed it over, letting her eat before they set off. He pushed them on even after it got dark, riding through the old castle town and arriving at the castle in the late hours of the night.

The workers were all scattered, running around to make sure the princess could be settled into bed. Link left her as soon as he knew she was in safe hands, finding himself a spot in the old academy. He supposed he'd be starting there in the morning so he may as well have been there to get everything ready.

He woke up to knocking on the door, the smell of food wafting through. ''Good morning. The princess said you won't have food supplies yet and you should be fed,'' the woman said and Link sat up, feeling the aches and pains of sleeping for so long away from his bed.

''Thank you,'' he said as he got up and took the tray. ''I'm going to get the academy ready today. Please tell the princess just to send for me if she needs me.''

He was surprised to see they'd managed to reconstruct it so quickly. There wasn't any equipment but it was shelter and an adequate space. He grabbed some of the swords that were tossed in a corner, finding some of the old bows that needed to be restrung. He needed everything to be ready.

''Sir.''

Link jumped as he turned to look at the former assassin. ''How do you do that? You are silent.''

''With a lot of practice,'' Grax replied. ''Can I help you with anything? I really want you to accept me into the royal guard. I know my past is not ideal but it makes me the perfect soldier.''

Link sighed. If he wasn't going to leave him alone, he could use him to help. ''Get the word out. Anyone who wants to be in the royal guard is to be in the old training fields tomorrow at dawn. Academy training starts then. Bring your weapons.''

Grax nodded and left, just as silently as he came. Link prepared the bows and swords with polish and new strings, lining them back against the walls like they had been in the past. All to protect his princess. No, not his princess anymore. It still hurt, those words sitting inside of him as he bottled the feelings up for as long as he could manage. He found what was probably the last training dummy, tearing it to shreds with his sword within minutes to try and get them out without yelling or tearing the entire building apart.

It wasn't fair. She'd started it; she kissed him first. She convinced him to try a relationship, she told him she was ready and wanted him and she had broken his heart when he thought they had finally committed to something real. He should have known when she didn't tell him she loved him back.

Why was he so _stupid_?

Zelda sat on what was about to be her throne, trying to recite the lines she was being told off by heart. Her advisors were trying to be patient but she had three days to learn everything she needed to, which was a task most other royals spent weeks preparing for. ''I'm sorry, start again,'' she said as she got mixed up in her words. Why was she finding it so hard to concentrate? Her inability to remember her words was only making her more anxious, leading to more distracted thoughts.

''How about we pick this up tomorrow?'' one of the women asked, bowing her head slightly. ''You have a visitor waiting.''

Zelda got up, unsure of who it would be. She stepped out into the parlour, surprised by the stranger who stood there. ''Hello, I'm not sure we've met.''

The man looked perhaps in his mid-twenties, a Hylian with dark hair and light skin. He got down on one knee, taking the princess' hand as she got close to kiss it. ''Forgive my intrusion, Princess. I know you are very busy.''

''Yes, I am so I would appreciate it if you could tell me why you're here,'' she replied. The man got up and looked into her eyes.

''My grandmother sent me. She told me that you would be looking for a husband soon,'' he said and Zelda frowned. ''I had to introduce myself. My name is Braun and I have found your beauty and intelligence outstanding since I saw you walk through my village with your knight. I had to take the chance if it was the only one I ever got.''

He was certainly bold and wasn't difficult on the eye either. Zelda took a deep breath. ''I am very sorry but until after the coronation, I don't have time for any social engagements.''

''Then let's just walk around the castle. One lap just to talk to you and let you get to know me. Please do me the honour, Princess,'' he insisted. She sighed and nodded, making her way out to one of the walkways that circled the castle.

He was quite charming. She laughed and felt comfortable with him, listening to his stories of childhood in a small village, trying to become a well-rounded man. He was clever but not smarter than her, and he was strong but not more than he'd need for simple defence. He was balanced in every aspect, with a variety of adequate skills but with nothing in particular that he had mastered. In a way, learning all of those skills was his art of choice.

''Is that the academy?'' Braun asked as they circled the outside. ''I heard training starts tomorrow. Your knight is certainly taking the rebuilding of the guard very seriously.''

Zelda nodded. ''I wouldn't expect any less,'' she said as she peered over the wall; remembering what the old version had looked like. It was very similar but missing all of the old character; the dents in the walls, broken tiles on the roof and missing paint from training exercises all gone awry.

She watched as she saw Link bringing out some of the rubbish, the knight looking up in her direction. ''Should we keep moving, Princess? I didn't mean to distract you,'' Braun suggested as he put a hand on Zelda's arm. Zelda turned, completely missing Link's change in facial expression as she looked at the man beside her.

''Yes, let's keep going,'' she said as Braun walked beside her, his hands on her arms to make sure she didn't fall over one of the patches that still needed to be fixed.

Link waited until they were out of sight and earshot, throwing one of the bins as far as he could out of anger and pain. It had barely been a day and she was moving on. He could clearly see what his intentions were from a distance, so blatantly in public. What did Link mean to her now? What had he ever meant? Was he just like an old teddy bear, there to hold or talk to when convenient but thrown away as soon as she didn't want him anymore?

''Is something wrong, sir?'' Grax's voice carried, the man standing behind him and waiting.

''Get a sword,'' Link said without hesitation, walking back inside to find his own. He walked back out and Grax was cautious but ready. ''If you think you're good enough to be accepted straight into the royal guard then you're going to have to prove it. Fight me.''

Grax nodded. ''As you wish.''

Link moved first, his sword making contact with the man's as he felt all of his emotion bubbling up inside of him. He was blocked, taking another swing which was deflected, forcing him to catch a blow from the man. It went on for much longer than Link had anticipated; he was a master swordsman, the best in all of Hyrule. His lack of concentration wasn't helping; he should have had this man's sword on the ground within the first minute and yet here they were, still sparing an hour later.

Sweat dropped down his brow as Grax looked just as fatigued. Link could feel all of his anger disappearing as each blow came and went. He made what should have been the final swing, the sword making contact as Grax returned it with enough pressure the sword in Link's hand went flying.

Link looked at his hand, feeling the air against the sweat that lined it before curling it into a fist. That hadn't happened for a long time. Grax walked over and picked up the sword, bringing it back to the knight whom was still frozen.

''Does that mean I'm in, sir?'' Grax asked and Link looked at him with no bias for the first time, his feelings relatively neutral. He almost felt some respect; even on his bad days, Link was never an easy opponent. There was a way that Link could tell many things about a man by the way he fought, a way that he could never explain. Grax had fought with such determination and resilience, profiling his every move until he knew the exact time to make his true return strike. Grax had wanted this with every bone in his body; it was something Link could understand and empathise with.

Link reached out and took the man's hand. ''Yeah. You're in.''

''Thank you,'' Grax said, looking overjoyed by the news. He could almost pick up the younger looking man and hug him. ''Tomorrow, dawn. Training starts, right? I may not be in the academy but I should still train.''

Link nodded. He looked up at the sky, noticing that it was starting to get dark. He felt empty, all of his anger gone and replaced by nothingness. ''Yes. Go get a good night's sleep. It won't be easy,'' he said as he began to walk back into the academy.

He lay down in his sleeping bag, curling his arm around the pillow made of clothes. There was a quiet knock on the door before it opened and closed. He didn't even have to turn to see who it was. ''Link, I was coming to see if you'd like to join me for dinner instead of eating out here,'' Zelda said as she walked in, her shoes clicking against the wooden floor. She saw him already lying in bed, a frown forming on her face. ''Are you okay? You haven't caught the fever I had, have you?''

Link shook his head. His voice was quiet and emotionless, almost monotone as he spoke. ''Early morning. If it's okay, I think I'll just go to bed, Princess.''

Zelda hesitated but nodded. ''Alright then. I'm sorry to have disturbed you.'' She closed the door, waiting a moment to let the image of Link sink in. She genuinely hoped it was just fatigue, making her way back to the castle.

Link felt something hot and wet run over the bridge of his nose, running down the other cheek. Why did he open up to her? Why was he so stupid when he should have known this would happen? She'd never told him she loved him back, even after they'd spent the night together. He couldn't even think of the last time he'd actually cried. He hadn't when his father died, so it was probably back when he was a child still mourning the loss of his mother. He'd been four years old and grown to learn to hide it, keeping his emotions to himself as he trained to become a soldier like his father. Emotions would only make him vulnerable. It was okay to be friendly, to have fun and to be happy but close bonds were just weaknesses to be exposed. He knew that and he'd let them out again anyway. He'd trusted the princess and she'd torn his heart out, leaving him ready to lie on the floor and never get up again.

But overall, one thing had hurt him the most; why did she find it so easy to pretend nothing had happened at all?

* * *

 _So this probably clears up a bit of what happened with the lemon in the previous chapter as they were meant to be a single combined chapter but I split it up so people could read what they were comfortable with. I know a lot of people thought it was a bit sudden as it seemed to happen out of just about nowhere, which is exactly how it was meant to be portrayed as shown in this chapter where it hopefully became a bit clearer they knew they'd rushed into it. Let me know what you think and keep that feedback coming; it does help me make sure I've covered everything I need to so it all makes sense. Until next time!_


	15. Chapter 15

Link got up in the very early hours, making sure he was ready and wearing the official uniform. He heard a knock on the door before opening it. Grax stood outside, waiting patiently. ''What do you need from me?''

Link stepped inside and into the armour room, finding a set that looked like it might fit. ''Polish it and put it on,'' he said and Grax nodded.

It didn't take too long as it seemed somebody had already been through and cleaned them when the academy building was rebuilt. He put it on and followed Link up onto the castle walls to see the numbers that had gathered.

He could see tents in the distance, all gathered for the coronation. There were at least a hundred potential soldiers waiting in the training field. He'd expected a few dozen but there were people from all ends of the kingdom, of every race waiting to have their chance at one of the greatest honours.

Link looked at the sun just peaking on the horizon. He hated talking but he was going to have to get over it; these people needed to understand the commitment they were making. He could teach someone how to fight without words but people did not understand the risks until they were laid out for them in their entirety.

''Stand on my right side, one step behind,'' he said as he walked in the direction of the crowds. He stayed on top on the wall so everyone could see him. Grab stood exactly where he was instructed.

Link took a deep breath, trying to relax. ''If you are not here to be part of the royal guard, leave. If you are not ready to risk your life for the safety of the princess, leave. If you would not give your life to protect her and the kingdom, leave.''

He could see some shuffling but no one left. Clearly he wasn't doing a good enough job at scaring away those who weren't ready. Time to pull out the one thing that always brought people to silence. ''If you are not ready to take your own life for the sake of the princess, leave. If you cannot drive your sword through your own chest to save her, leave.''

It was effective. About a third of the group cowered away at the thought. Grax spoke quietly from behind him. ''Would you?''

Link didn't even turn around. ''I'd bleed myself dry, letting it take days of agony if that is what I needed to do. My life is hers. She can do with it what she wants,'' he said very clearly. Grax had expected him to say yes but it sounded like he'd go through torture by his own hand. The champion began to project his voice again. He just hoped he made sense and conveyed just how important the job was. ''This is not an easy path. Some of you will fail. Some of you will die. You will bleed every day, you'll feel hungry, you'll be sleepless and you will lie in bed at night unable to move because you have pushed yourself so hard to train to be ready to protect this kingdom with everything you have, starting from today. This is your final opportunity; leave now or be ready to go through the hardest thing you will ever go through in your life.''

A few more left. He was left with about forty soon-to-be soldiers. ''Training starts now. The best twelve will be by the princess' side during the ceremony. That includes myself,'' he said before he turned to Grax. ''And you. So you need to prove yourself in the next three days.''

Link turned and began to walk away. He had other things to prepare. He spoke to Grax over his shoulder. ''Warm them up. Push ups, sit ups, whatever. Do it in unison so you can see who is failing.''

Link returned after about half an hour, impressed by how well the assassin had worked them thus far. Some of the wannabe soldiers were collapsed to the side, trying to catch their breath as they were already in pain. That was exactly the kind of pressure that Link wanted them to be under from the start.

He grabbed Grax's sword, holding it aside as the man counted through to a hundred. He was interested to see how many knew how to even hold a sword, let alone use it. He could already see the ones who were likely to become his final ten, joining Grax and himself at the coronation to stand in her guard of honour.

The sun was well and truly up when he and Grax slid down the wall, standing in front of the men and women that were left. ''Take a break. Eat something, drink some water. Refuel before we continue,'' Link said as he looked at them all. He could see a number of them were examining him, trying to work out why he was the chosen one.

Someone walked up behind him, Link turning to face them. ''The council has requested you.''

Link sighed. ''Everybody, listen up. After your break, you are going to pair up and start your practice drills. Your aim is to knock the weapon out of your opponent's hand or touch them with your sword. If your sword is knocked out of your hand, you're out. If their sword is against you in a position you could be maimed or killed, you're out. Winners fight other winners, losers with losers. If you actually cut anybody, you are out entirely. This is a control exercise. Am I clear?''

''Yes sir!''

Link nodded at Grax before following the official inside. He saw Sidon and Riju sitting aside and waiting with some more of the council members. Riju was quickly growing, just like children did. Every time he saw her, she looked more and more like a woman, reminding him of her grandmother who had been the chief a hundred years earlier.

''I walked past your training session. I'm glad I'm not one of your soldiers,'' Sidon said as he got up to greet his friend. He took Link's hand with his, a smile on his face. ''You look like you can't wait for the coronation to be over so you can get some sleep.''

''You're not wrong,'' Link replied, his voice flat and unenthused.

Riju crossed her legs, leaning on her arm. ''The staff look like they can't wait either. I don't think I've seen them stop yet.''

Link was certain they hadn't either. They would have been working in shifts to make sure they were constantly working to get everything ready. At least there was no shortage of workers; dozens had been putting up their hands to help the princess. Some may have been through the goodness of their hearts, though most were in hope that they'd get jobs in the castle once the maintenance was complete. It was hard but good work with good pay; once castle town was rebuilt it was the perfect job for parents with families to care for. Unless you were in the royal guard, working for the royal family was one of the safest jobs in the kingdom.

''You never do,'' he said as he looked around. ''Were you the ones who called for me?''

Sidon could tell something was very off about him; there was usually some sort of spark in him, something that sat under the surface even when he was at his most serious. ''No, but it's probably the ones in there,'' he said as he pointed at one of the rooms. ''They're counting all of the votes.''

Link nodded; he knew this moment would come sooner or later. He had to think about who would do their best for the entire kingdom, who he trusted to put the world above their own people. He walked into the room and was handed a slip of paper, told to write his answer on it.

He held it in his hands; the fate of the kingdom potentially coming down to the single name he wrote down. He held the pen between his fingers, taking a moment before he put it to the paper. He just had to make a choice, no matter what it was. There was never going to be a perfect candidate; it was always just a case of who was going to do the best.

He folded it in half, handing it back. They almost seemed to ignore it. ''Is it already decided?''

The council looked at him. ''We can't tell you that. You will know when everybody else does.''

Link sighed and walked out, looking at the pair that were still sitting and waiting. ''We're just waiting on the princess,'' Sidon said as Link slowly walked through. ''Would you like to join us? We're going to eat out on the balcony. They've just redone it as part of the preparations.''

Riju stood up. ''I don't get to spend much time with voe, it would be nice to have more company,'' she said as she looked at him.

Link shook his head. ''I need to get back to the military.''

Riju looked disappointed as she folded her arms, looking at Sidon. The Zora stepped forward with a frown on his face. ''Can I have a word?''

Link nodded, walking in the direction of the academy. Sidon walked beside him, having to turn slightly and duck to get through some of the doorways. He was only getting bigger, though that was expected when one day he was probably going to be the same size as his father. It would take a hundred years or so but he would eventually be too big to fit through most of the castle; it was exactly why he'd been sent in place of the Zora king.

Sidon held Link's arm as they walked past an empty room, pulling him aside. ''What happened?''

Link looked up at him, a look of annoyance on his face. ''You said it earlier. I haven't stopped for weeks. And I won't; not until I know the military can protect the princess. It could take years.''

''This isn't just being tired. I know you and how fantastic and brave you are, how you could face adversity like no one could ever imagine and still be motivated to keep going and never give up. You look like you're ready to go to bed and never get up again,'' Sidon said as he looked the knight in the eye. ''When we passed you both, I thought you were having a lover's spat. You sounded like my parents used to when they used to argue with each other over stupid things. Now you won't even stay in the castle long enough to be in the same room with her. Did she break up with you or something?''

Link looked away and Sidon let out a sigh. That answered that then. It was little wonder he was emotional. The Zora prince put a hand on Link's shoulder. ''Have you let yourself feel anything yet?''

Link let out a long breath. ''Yesterday I was angry, then I was training and I thought it would help but I just got sad until I eventually felt nothing. That's where I am now. Just… nothing,'' he said without looking up. He waited a moment before he met Sidon's eyes. ''I have to go. I need to see how the new recruits are going.''

''If you want anything, just let me know. I'll even take the newbies for a while if you need some time to yourself,'' he said and Link nodded.

''Thanks.''

He walked out, glad that Sidon was at least understanding. He wasn't going to make him stay when it was only going to make it worse. Sidon walked back to Riju, sitting down again. The Gerudo seemed unimpressed, leaning on the arm of one of the chairs. ''Is he alright?''

''You've seen the princess. Stress does a lot to a person,'' Sidon said as he relaxed. ''She avoids, he doesn't stop preparing.''

Riju rolled her eyes. ''And these are the people we're trusting the kingdom to,'' she said as she tapped her fingers on her arm.

''They trusted the Gerudo to you and you were a child,'' he said as he looked at her in return. They were such opposites; the woman of the desert against the man of the sea. He'd never know how to cater for her people except to give them more sand and put them in the sun; she'd only think to give his plenty of water.

''I'm not saying I don't trust them to do a good job. It just shows how they're going to be under pressure,'' Riju replied. She took a deep breath and sighed. ''They'll get better with practice. They've just been told to take it on all at once. No time to get used to the responsibilities. I remember the feeling.''

There was a period of silence before Zelda emerged, pushing her hair back behind her ear. ''I'm sorry to have kept you waiting,'' she said as she held her skirt, looking awfully uncomfortable. ''I just need to change.''

''Take your time, Princess,'' Sidon assured her as she hurried off down the hall.

She was back after a couple of minutes, looking much more comfortable in her usual attire. ''Sorry, it's so heavy the seamstress wants me to wear it while I'm in rehearsals. The last thing they want is for me to trip over my skirt,'' she explained as Sidon got up, Riju smiling.

''Sometimes I'm glad our ceremonial clothes are so light in the Gerudo Valley,'' she said as she sympathised. ''I'd love a nice full dress at night though. It gets cold at night in the desert.''

They wandered out onto the balcony, admiring the table that had been set up for them. Zelda turned to one of the servants when she noticed Link wasn't there. ''Can someone go and fetch Link?''

''Princess, he came past,'' Sidon said as he sat down. He wasn't sure how much to say. ''He's too busy with the new recruits to join us. He apologised but he won't be coming.''

Zelda looked disappointed. He was avoiding her and she wasn't sure what she had done. He knew what they had been doing was just a trial, something to help Zelda work out how she felt. Why was he treating her like this?

And it hurt. It hurt in a way that she couldn't express, a kind of longing that was just desperate to have him back even just to talk to for a few minutes. She felt like part of her was missing. She had expected things to be awkward while they returned to normal but this was completely different.

''Oh, I see. Never mind then, just the three of us, thank you,'' she said before sitting down at the head of the table.

The food was brought out and placed in front of them. She was quiet as they spoke about little things; mostly politics and changes they'd been making to prepare for the new queen. Riju leant forward on the table, looking at the princess. ''Who will you dance with first, Princess?''

Zelda hadn't even thought of that. Normally, the first dance after a king or queen had been brought to the throne was with their lover but on the occasions when one wasn't present, it became a political decision. No matter who she chose, it would make a statement about which village she felt most aligned with.

''I honestly hadn't even thought about it,'' she said as she picked up her glass. ''I've been more worried about what to say and where to stand or sit.''

Riju tapped her nails on her own glass, still looking curious. ''So there's no voe you're interested in then?''

Zelda sighed. She wondered how any of the Gerudo women coped with leaving the village and meeting men along the way. It almost felt like they'd throw themselves at the first one they saw, carrying them away to marry them. ''No,'' she replied.

''What about that one that works for the council? You were walking around the castle with him yesterday and my vai won't shut up about it,'' Riju retorted.

Sidon struggled to keep a straight face. She'd broken up with Link at least sometime very recently given Link had only mentioned the past two days and yet she'd been walking around with someone else? It was little wonder he didn't want to see her. Surely there was some other explanation; he knew the princess and she wasn't that cold.

''Braun? No, no. He's very sweet and maybe I'll reconsider after the coronation but no. It doesn't help him that about a dozen others turned up at my door today to try and meet me. The guards wouldn't let them in because they weren't part of the council or serving them. I told them to stop even telling me there was another one here after the first ten. I got word of a couple others but I'm hoping they've stopped now,'' she said as she looked at Sidon. Why did he look so disappointed in her? ''Is something wrong?''

''No, Princess,'' he said as he sat up straight, trying to hide his expression a little more. ''Are you feeling better now you can see things are coming together? I know you were very stressed when you were in the Zora's Domain a few weeks ago.''

She nodded. ''I've been overwhelmed but I'm trying to calm down. I just need to learn my lines and do my part,'' she said as she didn't look very convinced of herself.

The rest of the meal was a little quiet until the usual chatter started up again. Zelda excused herself to go and put the dress back on, walking back into one of the rooms where the seamstress was busy getting things ready. ''Is it feeling better?''

''Can we remove just one layer? I'm already feeling hot in it,'' she asked and the seamstress sighed.

''That will remove some of the traditional look.''

''I'm not sure that's a bad thing,'' Zelda said and the seamstress frowned. The woman was much older, almost looking old enough to have the king and queen prior. ''A lot has changed in the past hundred years. Things can't go back to how they were. That would be a mistake.''

The seamstress took her point, trying to be more receptive to her ideas. ''What alterations would you like then?''

She began to explain as the seamstress pinned and removed things. It still needed to be sewn together but the princess liked what she saw, a nice blend between tradition and modernity. It was elegant and practical; a white dress similar to her prayer gown underneath and the royal coloured cloak on top. She looked at the deep shade of red with blue across her shoulders, remembering the same colours on her father.

''It will certainly turn heads that it's not so much a gown as an outfit,'' the seamstress said as she stepped back. ''Though if I do this right, you could keep it as your royal coat that you could wear on a daily basis.''

Zelda seemed pleased by the idea. It draped nicely without being restrictive, unlike the stiff and heavy material that had been used in the older dress. ''And the triforce. That will be on the arms, won't it?''

''Of course, Princess. It will also be on your waist. I think a sash that matches the coat would look nice hanging down the middle, like the sash on your old one but more flowing.''

Zelda watched as she held the panel from the previous dress from her waist. It broke up the white a little and made a nice connection between the actual dress and her coat. ''Yes, that would be nice.''

The seamstress nodded. ''Well let's hurry up and get this off. I need to sew it all up.''

Zelda let it fall down as the seamstress called over her assistant whom had been standing back quietly. The young girl was probably around Zelda's physical age, trying to hide the expressions on her face as not to show her opinions. Zelda had noticed it had eased as they'd made adjustments, so she took it as a sign of approval.

The teenager took Zelda's arms to help her step over the dress and off of the box she'd been standing on. The seamstress put the clothes onto a mannequin in her size, pinning and adjusting as required. Zelda put on her other clothes again, leaving the two women to do their work.

She walked into her parlour, picking up her notes as she read them aloud. There was a knock at the door as she got up, trying not to sigh as she opened it. Braun stood on the other side with some flowers; specifically a bouquet of mostly white flowers and two flowers from the rarest of all species in Hyrule.

''Silent princess,'' she said as she admired it. ''Where did you get these?'' She took the bouquet, finding a vase as she walked back inside. She admired the rare flowers in particular, pulling one out to touch delicately.

Braun smiled as he stepped in and closed the door. ''I thought you would like them. I've spent too much time doing things for the council, I know where to find almost everything,'' he said as he walked up beside her. ''I heard you've turned away all of the other men beside myself. I should feel honoured.''

''I could have you removed if you'd like,'' she replied, looking up at him with a small smile at the corner of her lips.

Braun shook his head. ''I don't think the council will appreciate it,'' he said and Zelda put the flower back in the vase, picking up her notes again.

''If you'd recall, I'm on the council. I am the final word on any of their decisions,'' she said as she sat back down in her chair. ''Is there something you want?''

''Just to see if you need anything, Princess,'' he said as he looked around, spotting the pendant on her dresser. He picked it up, examining it carefully. ''Is this one of Naydra's tears?''

Zelda put the papers down and looked at him. ''You know about the stone?''

''Yes, Princess.''

Zelda pointed for him to sit, getting her notebook. She sat back in her chair, an excited expression on her face. ''Tell me everything you know.''

Link watched the soldiers train, examining every detail to pick whom were his best ten. One eventually walked up to him, annoyed and tired as they looked at Grax in particular. ''Why isn't he training with us? How did he get in? Why are we going through all of this bullshit and he got a free ticket in? Do we need to be your errand boy or something?'' the soldier yelled, clearly overtired and sore from their efforts. ''I want this just as bad as everyone else here, what do we have to do to get in?''

Link wasn't bothered by the yelling; his feeling of general apathy only made him even less perturbed by it than usual and he usually could cope with frustration without batting an eye. He knew what it was like and he knew the frustration they were feeling. He picked up a stick that had been lying aside, resting his hand on it as he spoke. ''Knock this out of my hand or touch me with your sword without cutting me. If you do that, you can be in and skip the rest of the tests.''

''That's it?'' the soldier asked and Link nodded.

He drew his sword and Grax stepped backward and out of the way. Link kept his hand on top of the stick, already having spotted at least three weak points. The soldier was tired and muscles were getting weak with fatigue; it wasn't hard to spot them preparing to move again.

Link saw the swing before the soldier had even moved, turning his wrist to pick up the stick, swinging it to catch in both hands. He made a round, arching movement that caught the sword and used its momentum to tear it out of the soldier's hand and to the side. The soldier went silent, staring at his hands as Link lowered the stick down again. ''Get back in line.''

''But- but-''

''If anyone else wants a turn, be my guest. Same rules, same prize. Remove me of my weapon or touch me with your blade and you can join Grax and I up here,'' Link called out.

There was a couple of moments of silence. ''Yeah, okay,'' another man said, stepping forward. The outcome was almost identical; his lower swing just meant Link flicked it into the air, Grax catching it by the hilt behind him to hand back.

''Did he win a round?'' the first man asked and Link folded his arms.

''He did.''

There was a whistle from the top of the castle wall, Sidon leaning over as Riju sat on the ledge. ''I didn't think it was possible,'' the Zora prince asked as Grax and the soldiers saw Link's hand and bowed in unison, down on one knee with one arm across it and the other behind their back. ''I heard you were brutal, I think I'd have collapsed by now if I was one of them.''

''Only the best soldiers get to be in the royal army,'' Link replied and Riju smiled.

''And the best of those in the queen's guard. You're in a class of your own, Champion,'' she said as she enjoyed the sunshine, still feeling cold in contrast to her usual desert heat. ''They can stand. We're just watching. Getting some pointers for our own militaries.''

Link let his arm move and the soldiers all stood up again. ''Give your arms a break. Run a circuit of the castle,'' he said and the soldiers took off, trying to hide their groans. He watched the two leaders, trying to work out if they were there out of boredom or because of something else. ''Do you need anything?''

Riju shook her head. ''We're just waiting around. That's the problem with arriving early; it would be more interesting if castle town was restored, I imagine. I never saw it as it was before.''

''I was very young. Mipha brought me a painting once. It was a busy little city,'' he said as he looked at Link. ''It's where you grew up.''

Link nodded. ''I spent most of my time in the training grounds,'' he replied.

''You should give us a tour. The soldiers would like to see where you started. An escort exercise or something,'' Riju suggested, looking at Sidon. ''There were monsters around the outskirts when my army and I came through. They scared them off but they may have come back.''

Link sighed. ''A council member could do that. There's no monsters now.''

''The council and its employees aren't old enough to remember. Those who are either can't walk far or didn't live here,'' Riju replied.

The soldiers returned, all looking out of breath as they'd rushed back. Link turned to look at them. ''Lady Riju and Prince Sidon want to visit Castle Town. Formation B.''

The soldiers looked relieved to be doing something less physical as the pair came down a staircase nearby, walking out to the field. ''Where do we stand?'' Sidon asked as they noticed the soldiers moving around them anyway. It was an escort position; Link and Grax in front as the others circled backwards so they could follow the path the two leaders wanted to take.

''This was an inn. That's the old markets,'' Link recited, pointing at various ruins. He hesitated in front of a building that looked to be tucked away, one of the walls partially standing. ''This was my parent's house where I grew up. I still don't remember most of it.''

Sidon could see the tour wasn't helping with his mood. He stayed quiet considering Riju was going to complain if he suggested they stop. He assumed the Gerudo chief knew nothing of what had happened and he wasn't going to be the one to tell her about the private lives of their Hylian friends. He let it go on for a little while before he looked at the sun and felt the dryness of his skin. ''I think I need to go spend some more time inside the castle and you have much more you want to do today. Lady Riju?''

The young woman looked disappointed as she looked up as well, enjoying the sun on her skin. ''I suppose we've used up enough of your time. Thank you very much,'' she said as she looked back at the Zora prince. ''Let's walk back and let them finish up.''

The soldiers awaited orders, Link letting the pair take the straightforward route back to the castle. He stood in front of his army, examining them all. Fatigue was hitting them hard and he needed them to be fit to fight should something happen during the ceremony. ''Go rest. I will see you all tomorrow.''

Grax walked beside Link as he made his way back inside the castle grounds, walking toward the academy again. ''Would you like me to do anything?'' he asked and Link looked at the castle itself, wondering how the princess was. Sure, he didn't really feel like seeing her but he knew she'd been in a panic. He still cared.

''Don't let her know you're there but check if the princess is okay. She won't tell you if something is wrong so you'll have to watch. If she's not and hasn't already sent for me, come and tell me otherwise just head home. I'll assume she's okay or it's already handled if you don't return.''

Grax nodded, taking off as Link settled into the academy again. He still wasn't hungry, lying on his side as he closed his eyes and tried to sleep. He hoped she was okay for the most part but he had a small part of him still wishing she needed him, something that might have told him that she'd just been in a panic and wanted him back. He felt stupid, curling over a little more as he willed himself to let the thoughts go so he could rest before the work he had to do tomorrow.

Grax clung onto the outside of the castle, listening through the window to see if the coast was clear. He could hear the princess talking, sounding like she'd been in a personal discussion with whomever was there, her words catching on her breath as if she was trying her hardest not to start crying. ''Can you speak to him for me?'' she asked and the person whom stood inside made a sound of curiosity. ''Can you please tell Link that I need to speak to him. I am sorry if I offended him and I can't keep using my stresses as an excuse but if he keeps avoiding me, I'm going to assume he doesn't want to be around me anymore and I'll have to relieve him of his duties to let him do that. He is to come and see me tonight or he will no longer be my knight once the ceremony is over. I will let him have the life that he wants without me.''

Grax had assumed there was something happening between Link and the princess, but this spoke volumes more. He waited to hear if the message was going to be taken, listening as the man in the room left and the princess began to cry again, sounding frustrated and hurt. He watched Braun walk toward the academy just to make sure the message was being delivered, making his way back to the tent in which he'd been staying.

Braun opened the academy door and Link sat up, looking at the man who he recognised from the top of the wall. ''I bring a message from the princess.''

Link got out of his sleeping bag and got up. ''Is she alright?''

''She wanted you to know that she is fine. She's very busy at the moment and doesn't have much time, so she'd appreciate if you gave her some time until the ceremony unless you have a scheduled meeting, of course. She hopes you're alright too but she needs as much time to concentrate as she can get.''

Link nodded; that made sense and he understood the need to capitalise on time to prepare. He'd have to decide on his final numbers the next morning and teach them where to stand and how to act, all before the following day. ''I understand.''

Braun smiled. ''She had many great stories about you when we sat together today. I'm on the council committee. The name is Braun,'' he said as he held out his hand to shake the knight's. ''You're very lucky to be so close to the princess. She's beautiful and I would give anything to be the king with her by my side. She is a queen like Hyrule has never seen.''

Link didn't appreciate the comments about becoming king but tried to hide his feelings. ''Words don't begin to describe,'' he said as he sat back down. ''Tell her I'm fine and understand. If she needs me, she knows she only has to ask.''

''I certainly will,'' he said as he left, leaving the knight to sit alone again. He lay back down and felt relieved the princess was alright, though he felt the longing for her return, wishing that she'd speak to him so he could be sure she was alright. It was a complete backflip in contrast to what he'd been feeling just before, avoiding her while he still felt the pain of her words. Now he wished she'd just say hello.


	16. Chapter 16

Zelda got up the following morning, washing her face as she looked at herself in the mirror. It was obvious she'd spent the night crying, waiting patiently for the knight to show himself. He never came and that told her more than his words ever would.

She washed herself to try and help her appearance, getting dressed as she pulled on a brave face. She had a short rehearsal in the morning before she sat with the council. On one hand, she wished Link would be there so she could speak to him. On the other, she didn't want to see him if he didn't want to be near her anymore. It just made the whole thing more confusing.

She walked out and sat in the chair in the coronation hall, looking straight ahead. She couldn't contain her thoughts, each of them returning to her best friend.

''Princess,'' one of the advisors interrupted. ''Your middle name isn't Lanayru.''

She couldn't even get her own name right. ''I'm sorry.''

The other advisor sighed, looking down as she gave a look of disapproval. They were getting tired of her mistakes, trying desperately to help her get ready in time. ''We're going to be praying for you tomorrow, Princess,'' she said and Zelda frowned.

''Don't use that tone with me. I'd like to see you recite an hour of pompous bullshit off the top of your head after three days of practice,'' she swore and both of the advisors were stunned. She stormed out, closing the door behind herself to return to her room for a while. She needed to calm down before the council meeting or things were going to go very poorly.

She held the blue gemstone in her hands, pressing it against her forehead as she willed herself not to cry again. She looked into it, a tear rolling down her cheek as she saw something for the first time. There was a little blond child running along the castle walls, smiling and laughing.

''This isn't fair,'' she said as she held the stone even tighter. ''What does that mean?''

There was a knock on the door, the princess holding the stone to her chest as she wiped under her eyes. ''Princess,'' a voice called from the door, one she didn't particularly recognise. ''Can I come in?''

''Yes, that's fine,'' Zelda called out, standing up as she put the stone aside again. The woman that walked in looked vaguely familiar, somewhere in her forties or perhaps early fifties. ''How can I help you?''

''I thought you might recognise me, Princess,'' she said as she could see the tears on Zelda's cheeks. ''It's me, Purah.''

It all made sense. ''Your ageing rune worked,'' Zelda said and Purah nodded, closing the door behind herself before she pulled the princess in for a hug. Zelda slowly wrapped her arms around the woman, letting her tears run down her cheeks. ''I really messed things up. What do I do?''

Purah held her a little tighter. ''What did you do?'' she asked and Zelda felt like she couldn't breathe. ''It's alright. Everything will be okay.''

''He doesn't talk to me anymore. He hasn't been in the same room as me since we got back and I didn't think… I didn't think this was what was going to happen,'' she sobbed and Purah sat her down, finding a few handkerchiefs to hand over.

''Link?'' Purah asked and Zelda nodded. She let out a sigh. ''I told you I'm not gullible. Spit it out. What happened between you both?''

Zelda wiped her eyes as she took some deep breaths. She needed to calm down and level her head if she had any hopes of getting things done before the coronation. ''It's… it's stupid. I shouldn't be upset like this,'' she said as she picked up the papers again, reading over them.

Purah rolled her eyes as she sat on one of the chairs rather inelegantly, her legs over the armrest as she folded her arms on her chest. It seemed that some of her second youth had stuck. ''Do I need to go and speak to him?'' she asked and Zelda shook her head.

''I asked him to speak to me last night if he still wanted to be my knight. He didn't come. What else is there to say?'' she said as she flicked through the papers.

Purah took a deep breath and dropped her head back, letting out another loud sigh. ''I don't believe that. Not for a second,'' she said as she looked at the ceiling. ''You don't dedicate your entire existence to something and then change your mind over something they said. Not that dramatically. Not unless the entire kingdom was also against it.'' There was another knock on the door as Purah rolled her eyes. ''What do you want? The princess is busy.''

''The council are waiting,'' a voice called back and Zelda got up. She put the papers down, walking out into the hallway. Purah followed into the meeting room, sitting down in the spare seat at the princess' side.

''Sorry to keep you all waiting,'' Zelda said as she leaned on the table, waiting to hear what they had to say.

One of the elders cleared their throat, shuffling in their seat. ''Is the knight coming?''

Zelda didn't know why she'd expected him to be there. Another council staff member walked in, closing the door behind themselves. ''Link sends his apologies. He's taking the military through their positions for the coronation.''

The elder looked at Zelda. ''Should we proceed?''

Zelda nodded. She looked at everyone around the table; Riju, Sidon, Kaneli, Bludo, and all of their advisors and assistants. Impa was still glaring at her sister, trying to contain herself as Purah looked like she was ready to slide under the table and sneak away. It certainly was an interesting group to entrust the fate of Hyrule to. ''Yes. We can convey whatever he needs to know to him later,'' she said as she looked at Sidon who was staring at the table in thought. He knew; the Zora knew somehow and she would be surprised if he could look her in the eye.

The elder sighed. ''Right. Your majesty, as you know, we have all voted on the person whom should take your place if something were to happen to you before there is a suitable heir. We would now like to present the results to you for your approval.''

''Go ahead,'' Zelda replied as she waited patiently for the answer.

The elder looked at the messenger who was still standing by the door. ''Sir Link, Champion and leader of the Queen's guard,'' he said and Zelda held her breath for a second, absorbing the information. Of course it was him. Who else would they all pick when he was the only man in Hyrule to understand the degree of responsibility and hold no prejudices to any of its many races. ''Do you have any objections?''

She looked at everyone around the room. ''Does anybody have any issues with this? Please raise them now.'' There was silence. ''What was the count?''

''It was unanimous, your highness. The only vote otherwise was from him,'' the elder said and Zelda nodded.

''I can't argue against the entire council now, can I?'' she asked as she tried to look pleased. He was the right choice; she just knew he wasn't going to be happy about it. She was right; he didn't like it one bit.

—

Link had picked the numbers, standing in the coronation hall as he pointed for everyone to go and stand as he instructed. ''One on each side of the doors. You two on the stage. You two stay here with us, the rest of you upstairs. Spread out evenly.''

He waited while everyone took their positions. He pointed to points on the ground in a square, getting the two recruits to stand in front as he and Grax stood behind. ''You listen for the princess' footsteps. Move at the same rate as she does.''

It was hard but the soldiers in front moved in unison with each of Link's steps with some practice. They got to the bottom of the stairs and Link stopped. ''You walk up the stairs to stand beside the others,'' he ordered before they moved again. ''Grax, the other side of the princess' chair.''

They reached their positions in unison. ''Turn to face the room,'' he ordered and there was a collective march, echoing throughout the room. ''On the ground floor, eyes forward. Watch with your peripherals, do not move your head or your eyes unless there is a threat. You will stay completely still for the entire ceremony. Second floor, you are our eyes. You watch, you subtly raise a hand if you spot anything suspicious. I will give signals to grab the person and take them out quietly. Do not cause a scene.''

His voice echoed throughout the room. There'd be hundreds of people in there, the lucky ones that made it there first. The dignitaries all had their spaces in the front, the rest left to any civilians who were early enough to get in. ''When the princess is ready to leave, the two in front step forward and onto the bottom step. Grax and I stand behind.''

''Walk forward. The last two on stage, behind. Grax, move to the side. We stand in a circle around the princess.''

''Queen,'' Grax said quietly and Link looked at him. None of the others were brave enough to make jokes but Grax wanted to lighten the mood just a little bit. It needed to be serious but it wasn't supposed to be scary.

''Yes, she will be queen by that point. We circle the queen,'' Link said as he turned back to face the front doors. He was less entertained. ''Walk out the room. We walk to the top of the castle wall, the ones in front go out the widest, Grax and I either side of her, the ones behind stand as they are. Second floor move along the wall to watch for any threats from the crowds. Let's do it again.''

The two behind walked back to the stage, Link and the other three escorts turning just outside the door to walk in again. They ran through it multiple times, making sure they had it perfect. They were partway through the sixth run when a council staff member interrupted. ''May I interrupt?'' they asked and Link nodded. ''I have news from the council. Would you like it in private or here?''

Link couldn't imagine anything that went through the council that wouldn't be shared with the public anyway. If it wasn't going to be, then they would have told him to speak to the council directly. ''Stand guard, don't let anyone distract you,'' Link said and his soldiers resumed their positions. ''You can say it in front of the group. There is no time to stop.''

The staff member looked nervous, stepping forward in the room. ''The votes were tallied, the council has decided the heir to the throne should something happen to the princess. The result has received her approval,'' the staff member said as it was somewhat eerie, no one's eyes moving as they all stood perfectly still. ''The heir to Hyrule as of the coronation is you.''

Grax immediately turned as Link's eyes dropped to the floor, a frown clearly forming on his face. The entire room was a new level of silent, all eyes on him as they waited for his reaction. The knight stepped forward and into the middle of the room. ''Are you sure?''

''Yes, that was the verdict of the council,'' they replied. ''That is all the news I have.''

Link looked around the room. ''I told you all not to move,'' he said with a tone of voice that none of them had ever heard. He was deadly serious and this was something they had to get right. ''Ten minutes. In ten minutes we do it again.''

The room was clear after less than a minute, everyone desperate for food and water. Link sat on one of the pews, holding his stomach as he took a few deep breaths to try and settle it. Grax stepped forward, looking at the knight with great concern. ''Are you sick?''

Link lay down, feeling another wave of exhaustion and nausea. ''The next time someone suggests we can organise something as big as the military in three days, tell me to remember this.''

Grax leaned on the end of the pew, folding his arms. ''When did you last eat?'' Link had to think about it. He couldn't remember his last meal. ''Yesterday?'' Link was still thinking, rubbing his head as the cause of his discomfort was becoming clearer. ''The day before yesterday?''

''I think I ate some of the breakfast someone brought me before I asked you to send the message out to all the potential soldiers.''

Grax was surprised he'd been standing. ''Wait here. Don't move.'' He left and returned after a couple of minutes, handing him a few bananas. ''To get you started. If you eat too much now, you'll feel worse.''

Link sat up, peeling one as he began to eat it. ''What is with the Yiga and bananas?''

Grax looked somewhat possessive, struggling not to snatch them back. ''We got nothing. The food was awful and you got nothing personal. Everyone hid behind masks or other disguises. If we did well, we got paid in rupees and bananas. Some just asked for more bananas instead of rupees after some of their missions because the food was so bad you'd rather starve than eat.''

That made sense. Link broke one off of the bunch, handing it over as he could see Grax's level of restraint. ''You could have given me something else if you feel so strongly about them.''

Grax shook his head as he began to eat. ''I was loyal to my fellow outcasts, not Ganon or even Master Kohga. All I knew how to do was fight and they gave me a reason to. As soon as it started to fall apart, I left and felt useless. This position has given me a reason to be alive again. It means much more to me than these bananas. And it helps that people don't want to kill the Sheikah anymore. The Sheikah are still cautious with me but I hope they'll get over it one day.''

Link looked at Grax; he assumed he just took on a poor Hylian disguise. ''Are you Sheikah?''

''Half. Half Hylian. The eyes are easy to hide and my hair was never like the others. I was caught in the middle, not wanted by either. My parents were forced to live together in hiding until one day my father's family killed my mother. Dad found her and confronted his family about it, so they killed him too,'' he said before taking another bite. ''I got angry. I taught myself to fight so I could get revenge. But when the time came, I couldn't kill my family even after the awful things they did. So I ran and ran until I found myself in the arms of one of the Yiga who saw my eyes and convinced me to join. That's pretty much it.''

Link knew the calamity claimed a lot of lives in the beginning but the number it had destroyed over the hundred years of terror was much higher. ''As long as you are loyal to the princess, you are welcome and appreciated here.''

Grax had a small smile on his face as he finished the banana in his hand, taking the empty skin from Link's hand so he could eat the last one easily. ''Thanks.''

''Are you okay with the whole future king business?'' Grax asked and Link sighed.

''I don't get much of a choice,'' he replied as he felt his stomach churn with the sudden food it had been given. Or maybe that was nerves with yet another responsibility on his shoulders. It seemed even without dating the princess, he was going to become king in some form or another. That was all unless she got married and had a child, which he wasn't sure would happen any time soon. With the target on her head and now his, keeping her safe was going to be a much more difficult task. ''Hopefully I'll never be needed. If I ever am, then I'll work out what to do then.''

Grax watched as the other's began to wander in, listening to their quiet chatter. Something was making it's way around the castle, particularly with how they were hushed as soon as Link turned to look at them. ''Spit it out. What is it?'' the former assassin asked.

''Oh, nothing,'' one tried to say and Link sat up a little straighter, giving them all a look that made them reconsider. ''Just stupid rumours.''

''They're not that stupid if it's gone around to you lot that quickly,'' Grax said as he sat up.

They looked ashamed to say it. ''The princess is supposedly a mess today. All of the stress before the coronation. I don't blame her,'' one said and Link felt a pang in his chest, longing to go and tell her it was all going to be fine. ''Just preparing for this is hard enough. We don't have everything else to worry about.''

''You shouldn't talk about people behind their backs. You only encourage lies,'' Link warned. ''In positions. We're going through it again. Nobody moves.''

They went through step by step, stopping in position as if the coronation was occurring. Link made his way around, trying to spook each one or make them move in some way or another. Most still flinched when he got close to their faces but it was definitely enough to give him confidence they weren't going to jump too much if something happened during the ceremony. ''Alright, get out and go to bed. Polish your armour, be out the front of the castle at dawn. The Gerudo and the Zora have offered their militaries for the gates so we don't need to worry about any trouble there. That doesn't mean a threat won't get through, but it will ease some of the pressure.'' At least he really hoped it would.

—

Purah walked alongside Symin and the princess, making their way to the research lab under Gerudo escort. ''I want you to border around us, facing away. Under no circumstances does anyone turn around,'' Zelda said and the women did exactly as she asked.

Zelda kicked a couple of tiles, finding the one she wanted. She picked it up and moved it, getting down on her knees to get her hand under one of the adjoining tiles. ''It's just under here.'' She squealed and pulled her hand back, watching spiders crawl out. ''Get out of the way,'' she said as she shooed them off, putting her hand carefully back under again.

Something clicked and the floor moved. Purah looked impressed. ''Sheikah technology.''

''My family have been working with you all for a very long time. It isn't as impressive as the shrines or guardians but it's helped us. There's a few of these throughout the castle too,'' she said as she began to go down the ladder.

Purah followed as Symin went in last. The princess lit a torch that had been by the bottom of the ladder. She made her way around the room, lighting several lamps to reveal the massive library that had been hidden under the ground for centuries. ''This is incredible,'' Purah said as she wandered around, admiring how well everything had stayed intact.

Symin adjusted his glasses, looking around in just as much awe. ''The royal family kept this hidden for so long,'' he said as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, gently taking one of the books from the shelf. There was barely even dust, though the reason wasn't surprising. The air was so stale it was obvious it hadn't been opened in a long time.

''Thank you for suggesting we come here today. It's just what I needed,'' Zelda said as she looked at the shelves, lighting the last lamp. The flames grew and a lamp in the center of the room caught fire, giving them enough light that she could put the torch out. ''Books on Naydra. Books on Lanayru. Books on geology, particularly in gemstones. Maybe even books on the Goddess of Wisdom. There may not be many; I think most of the books about the goddesses were in my study. I suppose that means I have a lot of writing to do.''

She didn't seem upset by the idea despite the degree of responsibility she now had. She was the one who knew the most about the goddesses and if she didn't, the information could have been lost forever. It gave her an excuse to take some time away from the pressures of diplomacy and economics, and get back to something she thoroughly enjoyed.

''You said you saw something,'' Purah said as she looked through the shelves, checking each title to see if it may be relevant. She'd never seen a library of its size.

Zelda nodded. ''A little boy... or girl, I couldn't tell. But they were running around the castle walls.''

Purah suddenly stopped, one thought crossing her mind above all others. ''You're not pregnant, are you?''

Zelda hesitated. ''I don't think so.''

''Why else would you suddenly have images of a child? You're not that maternal,'' Purah said as she made her way around the shelves. ''If there is a chance, we need to know.''

Zelda hadn't been panicked before. She hadn't even considered the possibility. ''You think I saw a child running around the castle because I'm pregnant?''

''Why else?''

''Maybe it's because I do want one eventually. Not now but someday, I do want to be a mother and have an heir. Isn't that reason enough?'' Zelda asked and Purah hoped she was right.

Symin didn't say anything as he continued to look through the books. It was uncomfortably silent as they all held a pile in their hands, passing them up through the gap as they climbed out. Zelda put the tiles back and brushed off her knees, noticing the odd aura coming from the guards. They'd overheard something. She felt her heart racing as she wanted to get back to the castle as quickly as possible.

She shut herself in her room as she felt like she could already hear more rumours spreading. Just what she needed the day before the coronation; more reasons for people to think she was unfit for her job. She stayed in there for a while, complying as Purah came in and did the tests she wanted to.

She just tried to breathe. She was already under enough stress; adding pregnancy to the mix was only going to make things worse. People talking about it was only going to make it worse and seem even more shameful. Everybody was looking at her and judging everything she did and didn't do, the whole thing making her want to shut herself away instead.

There was a knock on the door, Braun inviting himself in to look at the Princess on the floor. ''Are you okay, Princess?''

Zelda looked up at him, her arms folded over her knees. ''Do I look okay?''

Braun sat down on the ground beside her, inviting her to lean on his shoulder. ''Just one more day, Princess. Then the coronation will be over and everybody will go home and leave you be.''

''Tomorrow night I'm getting into bed and not getting out until everybody is gone,'' she said as she felt Braun run his hand through her hair.

''Can I stay?'' he asked and Zelda looked up at him. ''I'd like to stay with you.''

Zelda got up, unsure of what to say. ''You like me?'' she asked and Braun nodded. ''Why? I am a stressed out utter mess and you're still here.''

Braun got up, holding her arms. ''You're beautiful and smart, and you're going to be the queen. Any man would be stupid not to want you,'' he said as he looked into her eyes. ''That is the perfect woman in my eyes.''

Zelda couldn't work out what to say next. She felt his lips on hers for a few moments while she tried to work out what was going on. This was nothing like it had been with Link; it was a completely different kind of awkward and uncomfortable. She pushed him back and he frowned.

''What's wrong?'' he asked and Zelda looked him in the eye.

''I'm very tired and I think you should go.''

Braun's expression didn't get any better. ''That's okay, I don't mind,'' he said. He led her to the bed to sit down, kissing her again. He leaned over her, pushing her backwards until she put her hand on his chest. Her hand glowed and he fell backward, looking at her with an offended look on his face. ''What was that for?''

''I asked you to leave. I don't want to kiss you.''

He got up, rubbing his chest. ''I thought you understood how I feel about you.''

Zelda really wasn't in the mood to deal with him. ''You know I have had an absolutely awful day and you think I want you to climb all over me and kiss me?''

''That'd greatly improve my day,'' Braun replied and Zelda sighed.

''Get out.''

''Geez, mixed signals much? First I take it slow, then it turns out you're knocked up so I guess I'm doing it wrong and now you won't even kiss me.''

Zelda got up, grabbing his shirt as she stared into his eyes. ''You dare to assume some stupid rumour about me is correct and think it means you can take advantage of me? You don't even know if it's true. Did you think to ask? It's not as if people are going to try and discredit me before I get control over the entire kingdom now, is it? Oh, wait. Get out.''

Braun disappeared like a dog with his tail between his legs. Zelda collapsed backwards on her bed, staring at the ceiling as she took several deep breaths. She just felt like crying again but she'd run out of tears.

''Princess,'' Purah's voice said as she walked in. ''You're not pregnant.''

Zelda had never felt so much relief in her life, tears automatically running down her face as she covered it with her hands. Purah sat down beside her again, running a hand down her arm. ''I'm sorry, I shouldn't have worried you. I just wanted to make sure. It seemed too coincidental.''

Zelda knew and it wasn't the fact that she'd raised her concerns that was the problem. The problem was that there was a rumour quickly spreading that she might have been. How long until Link heard it and panicked? Perhaps he was safe from the rumours because he'd been so busy.

''It's okay. I'm just so tired. I want this all to be over. Just make me queen already, let me get a good night's sleep without feeling stressed worse than I was when I couldn't awaken my powers, and I'll get straight to work. The kingdom will wish I was gone because I will make sure everything is fixed as quickly and properly as I can. This coronation just needs to be over.''

Purah smiled, lifting the princess up to sit again. ''You will, I know you will. The kingdom have been waiting a hundred years for this. We're all just as nervous and scared as to how things will change as you are. This ceremony will help us all come to terms with the fact it's finally happening.''

Zelda nodded, composing herself. She took another deep breath and wiped her eyes. ''Thank you.''

Purah gave Zelda a tight hug, lifting her slightly off the bed. She didn't let go, squeezing her even more despite the fact Zelda was struggling to breathe. ''Please protect me from my sister. I think she might kill me.''

Zelda got her hands in between Purah's arms, pushing them back enough she could breathe. ''That's a battle you're going to have to fight on your own, I'm afraid.''

Purah sighed, letting go entirely as she got up. ''Alright. Please call me for anything. And I mean anything. You want me to fluff your pillows and water your flowers? Rub your feet? Dust the windowsill? Trim your hair?''

''Go talk to Impa,'' Zelda said as she pointed to the door. The woman left and Zelda took another deep breath. She picked up the blue stone again, looking into it. The child still ran, dark blond hair in the wind. Was it that simple? Was it just showing a simple wish she had for her life? She felt like she had so many more that were even stronger. She got up and looked out her window, trying to spot the academy. She'd give anything to talk to him about it, even just for a minute or more.

* * *

 _Thank you all for your amazing support over the past few days. All of your reviews, favourites and follows have honestly made me smile and motivates me to keep updating quickly. I hope you're enjoying this as much as I am writing it. I always love to hear what you think, good or bad. Until the next chapter!_


	17. Chapter 17

Zelda sat in her room, brushing her hair as she mentally prepared herself for the day ahead. She tried to recite her lines while she got herself ready, hoping that even just a few more would stick.

There was a knock at the door. ''Princess,'' the voice said and Zelda frowned. ''I'm here to apologise.''

She frowned as she got up, opening the door. Braun stood there, his head low as he held some things for her from the council. ''You have a lot of nerve to think I'll just accept it.''

''I know. And if I was a smarter man I would have given up but what I did yesterday was wrong, Princess. I was confused by what I was hearing and I don't know why I was so stupid to think what I did was the right thing to do. There are no excuses, so I can only stand here and beg for your forgiveness with a promise that I will never do it again,'' he said, his eyes pleading with her.

Zelda hesitated. He sounded so genuine. ''I hope you've learnt your lesson about listening to rumours.''

''You're not pregnant.''

''No,'' Zelda said and Braun looked ashamed. ''If you truly respected me, you would have asked.''

Braun nodded. ''I'm very sorry. As I said, no excuses. I was just an idiot,'' he said as he slowly raised his eyes to look at her. ''Do you forgive me?''

Zelda sighed. ''I will forgive you but I won't forget it. This is your second chance. There won't be anymore.''

Braun looked relieved. ''Thank you. You have no idea how bad I've felt for what I did,'' he said as he followed her into the room, closing the door behind himself. ''I genuinely like you, Princess. If you were ever to give me a chance, I'd be honoured.''

Zelda sat down again, tying her hair in the way she liked with just the front pulled back so it wouldn't fall in her eyes. ''Perhaps after the coronation. Right now, my focus is on that.''

''Is that a yes?'' Braun asked and Zelda turned to look at him.

''It's a maybe. It is not a yes,'' she said very clearly and Braun had to hug her, kissing her cheek.

''Thank you, thank you, thank you,'' he said as he let her go. ''Even just the possibility makes me happy.''

Zelda was still wary. He'd shown a different side the day before, one she wasn't willing to put up with. If he gave her any signs of it coming back, she would be throwing him out immediately. At least he'd come back to talk to her, unlike the knight she had trusted her life to.

Now, after over a hundred years she had to learn how to let him go.

Link got up, checking over his armour as he prepared himself for the big day ahead. He had to make sure he looked perfect, along with all of his soldiers who would make their debut on one of the grandest stages of all.

He heard a knock as Grax came in. ''Have you got any spare shoulder plates? I've been at this for an hour and it doesn't look any less scratched.''

Link pointed at the armoury, pulling on his own. ''I don't think the ones left will be much better,'' he said as he heard Grax rummaging around.

The man returned with a new piece, attaching it to his chest plate. ''Trust me, anything is better than what I had,'' he said as he picked up the cloth that Link had been using and rubbed it. ''Much better.''

Link began to prepare something to eat. Even if he wasn't hungry, he knew he would need the fuel to get through the ceremony. ''Have you eaten?''

''Yeah, thanks,'' he said as he leaned against the wall, continuing to rub until there was a nice shine to it. ''If it's not prying, what exactly is your relationship with the princess?''

Link glanced up at him. ''I am her knight. That's all.''

Grax didn't look convinced. ''I just thought maybe there was something more going on. Particularly with her crying and asking for you to come and see her the other night. I assume that went okay because she gave her blessing on the council's votes.''

Link stopped what he was doing. ''When did she ask for me?''

Grax could tell he'd said something that Link didn't know about. ''The other night. That dark haired council guy came in here. He told you about the princess' ultimatum?''

Link was only looking more confused. He'd clearly gotten the wrong message. ''What was he meant to say?''

Grax thought about it carefully to make sure he said the right thing. ''Go and see her that night or she assumes you're retiring. Why, what did he say?''

''She wants time alone and to stay away.''

Grax looked pale as he took a second before he bowed his head, dropping his hands by his side as he apologised with his entire body. Why was he so stupid? He should have made sure the message was delivered correctly when it was something so important. ''I'm so sorry. I should have checked sooner,'' he said as Link got up, making his way into the castle as quickly as he could. He looked into Zelda's room which was empty, making her way into the room the seamstress had been set up in.

He knocked on the door nice and loud. ''Zelda.''

The door opened after a few moments, Link peering in around the seamstress' assistant. ''The princess is currently getting ready for the coronation. If you could please come back to her with whatever you have to say tomorrow, it would be much appreciated,'' the young woman said, clearly reciting it off of the top of her head. There'd clearly been a number of people coming in over the course of the day.

''I just need a couple of minutes.''

Zelda didn't even turn to look at him as she sat still in a chair, another woman putting a layer of makeup on her face. She personally hated wearing makeup as it was more inconvenient to put on while she travelled and faced the elements, only to get ruined by some rain or too much sweat. ''Am I in danger?'' she asked.

''No.''

''Is the castle or anyone in it in danger?'' she asked.

''No.''

''Is it something that will affect the ceremony?''

Link took a deep breath. ''No, but-''

''Then can it please wait until tomorrow. I need to meet with you then about the royal guard anyway. I have too much to do and worry about today,'' she said and Link sighed.

He could feel his own heart racing but he couldn't do anything now. She was just going to keep sending him away. ''Do you need anything while I'm here?'' he asked.

He could feel she was upset with him. He'd ignored her for two days when she'd asked to see him immediately. It was little wonder she was treating him so coldly. ''Are the military ready?''

''Yes, I'm about to see them now. We're as prepared as we can be,'' he assured her. She looked relieved to hear things weren't going wrong.

''Good. I'll see you just before the ceremony,'' she said, still not facing him.

Link held back the urge to walk in and get her attention anyway. ''Yes, Princess.''

He walked out, clenching his fists as he made his way outside to Grax. How dare that man think he could meddle with his life. It wasn't even just getting him out of the way for a short time, it was trying to remove him entirely. It was like flames in his chest as he continued to walk to where the others had been told to wait. ''Put Braun in prison for treason and perjury.''

Grax could see the expression on his face as they got closer, making sure the others didn't hear. ''Do you want me to take others.''

''Grab two other soldiers from the Zora or the Gerudo,'' Link said as he turned to the military who had been waiting patiently. ''Get inside.''

The coronation hall was still empty, Link positioning his soldiers so they would be ready. They guards around the doors and on the second floor needed to be there before any of the guests to keep watch just in case something happened during the preparation process. It wasn't long before the civilians began to file in, Link leading the other two soldiers that would be surrounding the princess out of the room, giving the soldiers one more word of warning to be on their guard.

Grax returned shortly after, standing in position next to Link. They guarded the door of the room that Zelda would have been waiting in, ready to escort her inside. ''He's in the cells. You can do with him as you wish later.''

One of the other guards turned to look at them. ''We've already arrested somebody?'' they asked and Link continued to stand still.

''Unrelated to the coronation,'' he said and the guard still looked concerned. ''Treason and perjury.''

''Is this about the rumours in the castle?'' the guard asked and Link didn't say anything. ''There's been a number of them now. I know some are worse than others. There was that one about her stressing out, the one about her being pregnant, there's been some others. I think everyone's worked out to ignore them all now.''

Grax swore he could see Link turn pale. ''I think if any of those were true, the princess would have made a statement,'' he said as he tried to ease some of the tension. ''Particularly with the coronation, she wouldn't benefit from keeping secrets when people are already insecure about getting a new leader.''

Link felt like he couldn't breathe. If she was, he was even worse of a person for not seeing her for days. He took a deep breath and felt himself struggling to breathe. He needed to see her and speak to her, just to be sure. What was he going to do if she was? She didn't want to see him; how were they meant to raise a child together that way?

Zelda's door opened after a while of silence, the princess stepping out between them all. She looked incredible; her golden hair contrasted with the blue and deep red of her jacket and the white of her dress worked well with her skin. She stood still and waited as the two other guards stood in front of her, Link standing a step behind her on the left and Grax on the right. She took a deep breath to calm herself, beginning to walk forward as everyone walked around her in unison.

They stopped right in front of the coronation hall, waiting patiently for the right signal to go in. The music changed and Link resisted the urge to put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her nerves. The doors were opened and they proceeded in, trying not to look around. There was something about it now that people were there, Kass with his accordion and several other musicians playing in the corner to fill the room with beautiful and regal tones.

She sat down and everyone was hushed, watching carefully with baited breath. A pin could drop as the music faded out and stopped, the silence becoming almost eerie. She tried to look straight ahead, not letting herself get distracted by the crowds who all had their eyes on her.

Sidon stepped forward, Riju, Kaneli and Bludo behind him as they all got down on one knee in front of her. Each represented their race, proving the ceremony was a significant commitment from the entire kingdom. ''Your highness, we ask you to make your oath to the kingdom of Hyrule.''

Zelda looked at them, consciously trying to keep her voice calm as she hoped she'd not mess up her name again. The embarrassment of making mistakes was enough, let alone if she couldn't even say her own name right. ''I, Zelda Nayru Hyrule,'' she said as she felt relief that she got at least that part right, ''promise to dedicate my life to the kingdom of Hyrule and all of its inhabitants.''

Each of the four representatives took turns, prompting her to speak about the responsibilities she was about to take on. The first part wasn't too bad as she had a number of prompts, though the worst part was quickly approaching. She had to stand up and step forward, her hands sitting just above the crown that she was about to wear.

''I give my life to the Goddess Hylia, may she bless all of Hyrule and its people. I pray for her blessing over my reign. May I have the courage of the Goddess Fafore to make the difficult decisions that will benefit my country. May I have the power of the Goddess Din to bring peace to my people and protect them from any harm,'' she said, taking a deep breath as she felt relieved she'd been okay so far. She might have changed a few minor words but the meaning was still identical. Only her advisors who knew her speeches off by heart would notice. ''May I have the wisdom of the Goddess Nayru to see the problems of the country and do my best to prevent and solve them. With the power of each of the goddesses and other deities, I will do my best to give the kingdom of Hyrule an era of peace after the devastation of the great calamity.''

There were some more formalities before Impa stepped forward, the princess getting down on her knees as she lowered her head. ''Princess Zelda, descendant of the Goddess Hylia, we bestow upon you the crown of Hyrule.''

Zelda felt the heavy metal on her head, feeling the cold against her pointed ears. There was a long cloak placed over his shoulders that draped down over her legs. She stood up and looked at everyone who waited. They knew what happened next.

Impa looked at the crowds. ''Queen Zelda, ruler of Hyrule. Long live the queen.''

There was applause as Link knew it was the time to be the most diligent. With the noise and excitement, it was the perfect time for an assassin to strike. He was pleased that there was no one stupid enough to try, the crowd settling as the queen returned to her throne. She had to adjust the cloak so she could sit down on it, placing her hands down on the arms of the chair.

She could feel her hands glowing again as she took another deep breath. That was the worst part over, relief running through her entire body. Everyone went quiet as they could see the glow running up her arms, unsure of what it could mean. It calmed after a few seconds but there was still an air of uneasiness in the room.

Each of the representatives made a final blessing on the queen before Link gave the signal, his soldiers moving into their places as they escorted her out and to the next room. She had her cape removed as she fixed the crown on her head in the few moments of peace she had, double checking the makeup that had been put on her was still in place.

''The dining hall is ready, your highness.''

Zelda turned to look at the messenger. ''Give me just a minute,'' she said as she quickly went to the bathroom, deciding it was better to go then than try to find an appropriate time to slip out during the rest of the evening.

She returned and the escort took her once again, leading her to the dining hall where she only had to deal with dignitaries and politicians. There were some civilians but they were there as special guests or because they had the money to buy their place but the room was much less daunting. She was taken to a chair at the top of the room on the raised floor. The guards took their places once again around her as she sat down, just like they had in the coronation hall.

There were some more political proceedings before things became more relaxed. A Goron speaker seemed to be controlling the flow of events for the slightly less formal event. ''I now invite the princess to step forward,'' he said and Zelda did so, standing up and moving to the center of the floor. ''You may now have the first dance to begin the celebrations and the conclusion of the formalities of this evening.''

She'd already made up her mind in her head, taking a moment to scan the room anyway. Braun wasn't there, which felt like a mixture of good and bad news as she'd expected him to be the one to pull her away from anyone if things got awkward. He seemed like the chivalrous type with a spot of jealousy; she'd rather be forced to dance with him than some of the others who were known to get a bit handsy, particularly with alcohol involved.

She turned and she could feel the confusion in the whole room. The only people behind her on the stage were her guards. She walked up the stairs again, extending her hand as she bowed slightly in front of her knight. ''Champion of Hyrule, heir to my kingdom. Will you honour me with this dance.''

Link felt his heart almost stop. It took him a second to realise this wasn't a personal decision but the best political one she could make; he was the one who took over her kingdom if she died. He was the one who the kingdom trusted to do her job if she wasn't there. It was a statement of trust and confidence in his ability rather than political allegiances.

He took her hand nervously, holding it for the first time since they'd laid in that field in Akkala. It was just as sweaty and nervous as she stepped backwards, raising her arm so he could put a hand on her waist. He stepped in close but not close enough they touched, speaking quietly so only she could hear. ''I don't know how to dance.''

''Left foot to the side,'' she said as she kept her head up and tried not to give them away as she had to instruct him step by step. She only had to do it a few times until he worked out the pattern, moving a little more smoothly with the music.

When she was confident Link had his footing, Zelda began to talk quietly again. ''You can leave your things that you don't want anymore in the academy, I'll have whomever is going to take over from you fix it all up tomorrow. You should go home.''

Link felt his chest get a little tighter as he squeezed her hand. ''We need to talk.''

''I don't know what else there is to say,'' she said as she resisted the urge to hold him back.

Link didn't know what to say first, so he started with the news he needed to know the most. ''Are you pregnant?''

''No,'' Zelda said and Link wasn't sure what the feeling was that he had. It was almost disappointment mixed with relief to hear he wasn't going to be a father soon. ''I saw a child in the gemstone and told Purah. She panicked, people overheard. It's not true. If I was, I would have come and told you myself.'' That made a lot more sense. They'd taken more precautions than most did and the likelihood was so low that he would have considered going back and telling the farm they had a faulty batch, even if it was just to make him feel better as any chance at all meant it was still a possibility.

They danced for a few more moments before Link decided it was time to tell her the truth. She needed to know what had happened. ''Braun is in a prison cell under the castle. He purposefully told me the wrong thing so you wouldn't see me before today. He told me you wanted me to stay away,'' Link said and Zelda had to stop herself from planting her feet and demanding an immediate explanation. ''I don't want to leave you, Zelda. I was just hurt. I needed time to heal before I was ready to let things go back to the way they were.''

''Then you should have told me that,'' Zelda replied, trying not to snap at him. She felt a mixture of things; betrayal and hurt for what Braun had done, and pain for her friend who had been the victim in all of this. She hadn't thought to approach him and ask him personally.

''I cried. I haven't cried since my mother died and I was a little kid. It hurt to be in the same room. It still does it's just fading. I told you what I felt. I was stupid and presumed that night meant you felt it too. So when you told me to go back to how things were, it hurt. And it's not your fault but mine for letting myself get too attached when I shouldn't have. You were perfectly clear,'' Link tried to explain. He could feel her pulling him in closer, holding him tighter as the moved slowly. If they got much closer, people would notice they were talking about serious matters during what was meant to be the start of the celebrations. ''It was too hard to see you. I've felt like I could for the past day or so but after that message, I didn't because I thought that was what you wanted.''

''Please stop or I'm going to cry in front of all these people at my coronation celebration,'' Zelda said as she took a deep breath. Link looked at her, noticing the glisten in her eyes. She wasn't teary but he could feel her breath shaking slightly as she tried to keep her voice down. ''I missed you so much. I thought you were leaving me after you promised me you never would. It hurt me too.''

Link held her a little tighter again as they swayed, both with a mixture of feelings. Neither of them knew what to say next after they'd finally laid out everything the other needed to know. There was no desperate need to say what they needed to anymore. Link took a deep breath as he could hear the music finishing. ''I'm not going anywhere, Princess.''

He may have been wrong with her title but she didn't care. Those words meant more to her than she thought the would, a comfortable warmth filling her chest as she felt safe and with the person she cared for the most. She leaned in close to his ear as the song finished, her words bringing Link to a standstill. ''I love you too.''

She stepped back with his hand in hers, giving him a slight bow as he instinctively returned the gesture. She let go and nodded for him to return to his place before looking at the Goron with the microphone. ''We now invite everyone to join the queen in her celebrations.''

Others made their way up to the open space to congratulate her, squeezing her arms and giving her a hug as joy filled the room. She danced with many of them as Link stood still, still trying to let her words sink in. The night went along well enough he let the guards relax a little, particularly as there were still guards from the other villages surrounding the building and the room. It was a celebration and although they still needed to be vigilant, they didn't need to be statues anymore.

Zelda walked over to Link as the room was slowly starting to thin out; a number of people were tired from their travels and had to travel home again the next day. She stood at the bottom of the very slightly raised stage, having to look up at him very slightly. ''You still look like you've seen a ghost.''

Link looked at her, still trying to find words to say. He didn't believe he'd heard what he thought he did. ''Do you mean it?'' he asked and Zelda nodded. ''Are you sure?''

She took a deep breath. ''It's a chance I'm willing to bet our future on. If the last few days have been enough, I know my life is so much better when you're with me, even if everything else is overwhelming or awful. If we can get through Ganon and then this, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have by my side,'' she said, finally letting her head settle. She'd relaxed now the worst pressures were over and she finally felt some clarity.

Link didn't know what to do. He was still cautious after what he'd already been through but here she was, standing in front of him and confessing her love for him. Was he meant to trust her again when she could have changed her mind at any time? ''Zelda, I don't want to say yes to this and you realise you were wrong again.''

Zelda folded her arms, looking around the room as she noticed it was getting emptier by the second. Link got up and looked around himself to check the numbers, particularly at the guards on the second level that had been watching carefully over the guests. ''You're done for tonight. I'll see you tomorrow.''

Zelda put a hand on his arm. ''Take tomorrow off. I'm just going to be inside the castle and the other militaries are here until then,'' she said instead and the soldiers all hesitated. ''Go on. I have higher authority than he does. Go get some rest.''

They all looked thankful as they left, very few left in the room. Grax was talking to Sidon, Riju and Yunobo, and a couple of council members were in the corner. The council members left after a few more minutes, particularly as the musicians had also stopped and left for the night. ''Link, please take me seriously,'' Zelda said as she tried to convince him she wasn't lying. ''That child I saw in the stone, it wasn't just mine.''

''I thought you said you're not-''

''I'm not. But I do want one someday and I'd want them with you. That matches up with the picture,'' she said and Link still hesitated. ''What have I got to say?''

Link didn't have an answer for her. He wasn't sure there were words that she could say to make it right. He could see her getting frustrated, particularly when he didn't even answer. ''I don't know. I don't think it's words that are the problem.''

Zelda lifted her skirt with one hand and marched up the two shallow steps, grabbing his armour with the other. She kissed him with enough passion that Link's lips reacted out of instinct, his hands grabbing her so she wouldn't fall backward. The moment became completely about them, both forgetting that they weren't alone.

Riju frowned first as she could see the pair behind Grax, the assassin noticing her gaze as he turned to look. Sidon and Yunobo noticed quickly afterward, each silent as they waited to see what was going to happen. The kiss didn't stop, both well attached and presumably not going to move any time soon. Grax cleared his throat and Zelda turned to face them, looking embarrassed as she realised what she'd done. ''Oh.''

''Something to share with us?'' Riju asked and Link could barely look at them, his face quickly turning red.

Zelda took a second to try and work out any words she could. ''I think you can probably work it out,'' she replied and Riju folded her arms as Sidon looked overjoyed.

''So we picked an heir to your throne who's going to be king anyway. You could have just told us that. It would have saved a lot of time and trouble,'' Riju said as she looked at the men around her. They seemed to agree. ''You told us there was no one.''

Sidon stepped forward, resisting the urge to pull both of his friends into a hug to celebrate the happier news. ''There wasn't,'' he said and Riju frowned as she looked at him. ''They split just before they got back to the castle. That's why he's been essentially missing and she's been extra emotional. But does this mean it's better now?''

Zelda looked at Link. His brain wasn't thinking straight enough to do anything but nod. ''I guess so.''

''Thank the goddess for that,'' Sidon said as he stopped restraining himself, hugging them both in his arms with a smile on his face. ''The best queen with the best knight and future king. You will be amazing. The kingdom could not have a better pair to rule and care for it.''

Yunobo stood by awkwardly, trying to work out what to say. He had spent time with Link but didn't know the princess nearly as well as the others. She tended to spend most of her time discussing political matters with Bludo instead of with him. ''Is there a baby?''

''No,'' Zelda said as she took Link's hand. They were in this together now and hiding it was pointless. ''That was a misunderstanding.''

Sidon let go and stepped back, just as confused as everyone else. Riju spoke up, wanting answers sooner rather than later. ''How so?''

''I saw a child in the gemstone I've been researching. Purah assumed the worst and spoke too loud. Your soldiers overheard and it spread from there,'' Zelda said, trying not to show annoyance at the Gerudo woman. It wasn't Riju's fault that her soldiers didn't keep their mouth shut but it was hard not to feel like she had some degree of responsibility.

Yunobo was the most out of the loop, trying not to ask too many questions. ''What gemstone?''

Zelda was always one for learning but she was tired and didn't feel like taking him through every detail. ''It's sometimes called a Naydra's tear.''

''Oh, those,'' Yunobo said as he suddenly understood the conversation better than Zelda had expected. Then again, he was a Goron and everyone knew the Goron race's relationship with rocks. ''I didn't think you'd be able to use it, Princess. Descendants of the Goddess have always had trouble. Those who have had to spend days staring into it to see anything.''

Zelda looked at Yunobo, almost stunned by how simple the answer was. After all the time she'd spent researching and driving herself crazy about how she couldn't see anything in the stone and everybody else could, she forgot the one detail that differentiated her from the rest. ''I have spent weeks trying to work out why I couldn't see anything until yesterday. If you're not going home tomorrow, I need to ask you about everything you know and write it down. I still want to do more experiments but anything you know will be of great help.''

He nodded. ''Of course, your highness. I wonder if that's why you were glowing in the ceremony.''

That was another mystery that they weren't sure they'd ever get the answer to. Zelda stepped down from the short stage and walked closer to the others. ''They've been strange since we were on Mount Lanayru. They faded after Ganon was sealed away and I thought I'd never get them back.''

She felt herself getting tired as they chatted on a little more about the travels, everyone slowly feeling the same fatigue. ''If it's alright, I'm going to go to bed now, your majesty,'' Grax said and Zelda nodded.

''I think it's time for all of us,'' she said and they wandered out. Link stood by her side as he always would, everyone hesitating for the first time at his instinctual actions.

It took Link a few seconds to realise why they were all staring at him. ''I'm just checking to make sure no one has gotten into her room and she gets to bed. I'll be out in a few minutes and I'll go back to the academy.''

''There is a room for you here in the castle, you know. You didn't have to sleep on the academy floor,'' Zelda replied and Link did know that, but he'd wanted to keep his space at the time. ''I will see you all tomorrow, I'm sure. Go to bed.''

They went their separate ways as Link and Zelda walked down the hall, both now awkward with decisions as to how the rest of the night should have panned out. Did they kiss goodnight? Did they just leave it until the following morning to see how they felt about what had happened with some time to think about it?

Link walked through her room first and verified there was no one there, Zelda walking in and removing her crown to place on the cloth that had been laid on her dresser. There'd be a glass case for it somewhere but she didn't have the energy to go and look for it; there'd be no problems with leaving it there for a single night. It wasn't as if the case did anything for security.

Zelda closed the door as she began untying and pinning her hair, letting it fall down her back naturally so she could tie it up better for bed. ''I'll be alright now, thank you.''

Link hesitated awkwardly. ''If you want anything-''

Zelda stepped toward him, hesitating as she looked into his eyes. ''I want you to stay.''

''That is not a good idea,'' Link replied and Zelda didn't care. She kissed him again, holding his face as she refused to let him disappear again. ''Princess.''

''You can at least get my title right,'' she said before kissing him again. ''You know you should use my name.''

Link eventually broke away. ''I'm not going to cause more problems on your first night as queen. One day, but not tonight,'' he said and Zelda nodded. He was right; she didn't want to start her reign with a scandal. There'd been enough of that, that had tried to get through before she'd even started. ''Tomorrow, we'll work out what you want to do with Braun.''

Zelda took a second to think. ''I think first, we should give him a visit together. Then I'd like to see him removed from the council staff for eternity. He has not committed a crime high enough to warrant further penalty than that.''

''He deceived you and lied to me.''

''And for that, he loses his job. Everyone will know what he did. He won't be welcome back in this castle. If he was using me just to become king then his plans are now foiled, aren't they?'' Zelda suggested and Link sighed. She was always more forgiving than he was. It was something he'd always love about her, grounding him when it was too easy to overreact and use the skills he knew to hand down severe and permanent punishments.

''Then what do we do about us?'' Link asked and Zelda kissed him again slowly, making sure they didn't waste the opportunity.

She broke away and pressed her forehead against his after a few seconds, taking a moment to savour what they finally had. ''We take it one step at a time. We don't need to rush.''

Link felt a smile on his face. How ironic that her answer would be to finally take things slow in her life instead of rushing into it. He wasn't sure she was going to ever stop and take a breath; her fiery and ambitious personality separating her from others as she motivated herself to do most things on her own. But even if she had slowed down, even for a second, then she wouldn't have been his princess. No, his queen. ''I feel like we've all been telling you that this whole time.''

Zelda smiled back as she kissed him again just briefly. Her words didn't surprise him one bit. ''I guess we'll have to see if I listen to myself then.''

* * *

 _Thank you so much for reading this story. I've been toying around with a sort-of sequel which is why it's been left fairly open, but I want to plan it out a bit more before I get started. Please tell me what you think and if you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. Thanks again for all your feedback, kind words, favourites and follows. It really means a lot to me and encourages me to keep writing more and more. Until the next story!_


	18. Epilogue

Link stepped down the old stone stairs, surprised to see they were still relatively in tact. He'd expected more damage after the calamity but then again, they'd been underground and had no real value to Ganon or his underlings. It had never been intended as a full-time prison, just somewhere to hold criminals and threats until they could be transferred to the prison across the moat. There was probably no one in it when Ganon took over to make destroying it worthwhile.

''I have it from here,'' Link said and the guard that had been sitting aside looked hesitant to leave. ''Go.''

The guard ran up the stairs and Link walked down, standing perfectly still with his hands behind his back and staring into Braun's cell as if he was guarding it. The feeling was unnerving, Braun unsure what to say as he sat inside on the floor, his hand in his hair.

''What did I do?'' he asked and Link didn't respond, not even looking directly at him. ''Your errand boy threw me in a cage and didn't even explain what I did. Treason? Perjury?''

There were softer footsteps after an hour or so, Zelda walking down the stairs with her coat over her shoulders but much more convenient pants and shirt underneath than the dress she'd been in the night before. ''Hello Braun,'' the queen said, stepping next to Link who began to move for the first time since he'd taken the position. ''Were your rights read out to you yesterday?''

''I know what they are. I work for the council. I've read them out to real criminals,'' Braun said and Zelda nodded.

''Then you understand that you'll be put in front of the council for trial,'' she said and Braun shook the bars, which only antagonised the monster in the cage beside him. He jumped to the side as the monster began clawing through the side, trying to reach him to attack. ''That was just stupid, wasn't it?''

''Get me out of here,'' Braun said as he reached through the bars in her direction, pleading as he got on his knees. ''I don't know what I did.''

Link looked him in the eye. ''You directly disobeyed an order from the queen, passing on a message to me that affected her safety. You took advantage of the fact she trusted you while under stress.''

''Yes, okay, I was stupid. I'm a jealous man and wanted her to myself. How is that treason or perjury?'' Braun asked and Zelda folded her arms.

''You tried to remove the entirely of my security. The guard isn't ready to take on that responsibility. You know that,'' Zelda said and Braun sighed. He stepped back and rested his head against the stone wall at the back of his cell.

''That's not what I was thinking about, Princess.''

''Queen,'' Link corrected and Braun sighed.

''Your Majesty, I apologise. That is not what I was thinking about. I was thinking about wanting to be the only man around you so there was less competition,'' Braun explained. ''I don't think it is worth a criminal record. I accept if you don't want me in your castle anymore. I understand. But please don't ruin my life because I'm a jealous fool.'' Link wasn't sold but he could see Zelda's forgiving nature. He wanted him to pay the full price for his crimes but Zelda had already made up her mind before Braun had started begging.

The queen looked at her knight and said the words Link really wished she wouldn't. ''I can't see the council passing judgement for a high crime. He is just an idiot.''

''If you insist, your majesty,'' he said and Zelda nodded. ''Exile?''

Zelda smiled and shook her head, leaning in to kiss him again. He hadn't expected the long, slow and passionate kiss but the look on Braun's face was priceless. Link may have considered taking it further if it wouldn't have ruined the queen's reputation. ''No. What he did brought us back together. We wouldn't have started dating again if it wasn't for the misunderstanding he caused.''

She may have been forgiving but it didn't mean she wasn't cruel. Braun had his hands on the bars again, staring in disbelief as it looked like his entire world had shattered. ''B-b-but-''

Zelda took Link's keys and began to unlock the door. Braun was too stunned to do anything. ''I suppose your freedom is our thank you. But not before you stand in front of the council today and resign, explaining why you are leaving and what you have done.''

Braun still couldn't talk as Link bound his hands behind his back, leading him up the stairs and into the meeting room. Representatives of each country and their leaders sat confused as the man was held in front of them, Zelda walking around to take her seat. ''Braun has some words he'd like to say before we get started.''

Braun was still trying to gather his thoughts. ''They were kissing,'' he blabbered out and the council turned to face the queen.

''That was going to be the second agenda item today but I suppose it can be first,'' Zelda said, feeling slightly awkward and embarrassed. She was planning on speaking about it with a little more tact but that idea had gone out the window. ''Link and I have reconciled after a split a week or so ago which was entirely my fault. I was under too much stress and needed to concentrate, so I pushed him away. Now that I'm feeling much better, we are dating once again. This means there will have to be some changes but we're not rushing into anything so there's plenty of time to organise things. Now, can we please get back to what you were going to tell the council?''

Braun could see the members turn back to him again. ''I hereby resign.'' He didn't say anything more so Link pulled on the rope, making it more uncomfortable. The man groaned and spoke up. ''Because I took advantage of the queen and lied to her knight, and did other stupid things so I could have the princess to myself. I put her safety at risk during the process and am extremely sorry. This really isn't necessary.''

''Thank you, Braun. Now, escort him out of the castle. You can leave the ropes on so he learns not to cross me again,'' Zelda said as she began to open her notebook, looking at the pages as Link took the man out.

Link took him about an hour out, pushing him over as he dusted off his hands. ''You are lucky it wasn't me deciding your fate.''

Braun still looked confused and overwhelmed. ''Please untie me.''

Link began to walk back as Braun began to try and stand without the use of his hands. He returned the council as Zelda waited aside, a smile on her face as she could see he was annoyed the man wasn't better dealt with. ''He's gone.''

Zelda kissed him again, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. ''He did do us a favour. We would have both been too stubborn to say anything if we didn't think you'd be gone by today.''

Link rolled his eyes. ''One day, that attitude will get you killed.''

''You claim a lot of things will get me killed but I'm still here. You haven't let any of them hurt me yet,'' she said, a grin still on her cheeks. ''I am considering killing Purah though. I'm still getting asked if I'm pregnant. Particularly with our announcement to the council. I had to assure them I'm not with my hand on the goddess statue for them to believe me.''

Link moved her arms and held her hands instead. He didn't blame them; there was enough information to suggest it was entirely possible floating around. ''I think I nearly passed out. You would have stepped out of your room to my guards freaking out because I was on the floor,'' Link replied.

''I was ready to catch,'' Grax said, Link jumping again as he cursed his assassin. ''You hate that I can sneak up on you, don't you?''

''Like you have no idea,'' Link replied as he turned around.

''Well, sorry to interrupt such a cute moment between you two but there's a monster loose in the basement. It finally broke out of the cell. Would you like me to take it somewhere in particular, your majesty?''

Zelda nodded, walking alongside Grax in the direction of the stairs. Link followed behind, smiling as he listened to her talk enthusiastically about more research to be done. It was really when she was at her most beautiful, a twinkle in her eyes as her thoughts ran off her tongue faster than anyone could process them. ''Has anyone checked if there's a spare cage? I want to take it to the research lab but that's in pieces and it will destroy the library. If we can cage it, maybe we can move it into my father's old study where Purah and Symin can start some tests for me. Are Robbie and Jerrin still around? They could help too. I know they have much further to go and...''

* * *

 _An epilogue for those that requested it. I couldn't help but write about Braun getting what he deserved._

 _There is indeed going to be a sequel. In fact, the first chapter is already available. Updates will be less frequent but in exchange, longer chapters. Follow me and check out the first chapter of_ The King's Men; _I hope to see you there!_


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